


Go For The Goal

by twofacedjanus



Series: Go For The Goal [1]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coming of Age, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-09-02 11:32:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 37
Words: 195,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8665981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twofacedjanus/pseuds/twofacedjanus
Summary: While his grades were stellar and attendance sterling, on the social side Leo's high school career was entirely unremarkable. Without many friends and with too many bullies, Leo didn't have much to look forward to. At least, until the day Jim Kirk sat across from him at lunch one day in January.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work of fiction is two years in the making and without my dear friends mangochi, neroh, Xyriath, CelesteShepard, slashsailing, Emma, and anyone else I may have neglected to mention, it wouldn't be possible. Thank you for encouraging me and proofreading and giving feedback from day one.
> 
> © Twofacedjanus – 2016

The thing about Leo McCoy was that nobody spoke to him unless they needed to.

Nobody needed to speak to Leo McCoy, so it perplexed him when James Kirk sat where Leo sat alone for lunch. Popular, athletic, handsome James Kirk.

“Hey, Bones!” the hulking blond greeted, boisterous and enthusiastic.

Nobody called him Leo either. Nobody ever called him Leo. It was always Leonard – far too formal – or _Bones,_ the accursed name the student body collectively began calling him after someone in ninth grade PE said he was nothing but ‘skin and bones’. Somehow it stuck, and he loathed it ever since.

He glanced up nervously to meet Kirk’s eyes, only to look down again under the intensity of his stare.

The thing about James Kirk was that he didn’t speak to people like Leo. He didn’t need to. People only spoke to Leo if they needed to.

“Uh – um – do you need something?” Leo murmured, refusing to meet Kirk’s gaze; instead he buried his nose in the familiar pages of _The Sound and the Fury._

Another thing about Leo McCoy was that he didn’t speak to people – not for lack of trying, but rather because he simply did not do a good job of it. Leo opened his mouth to ask Kirk to leave him be when—

Oh, damn it all. He smiled.

“The rugby team needs people, you know.” The sight of Kirk’s small smile made Leo freeze. He’d seen him from afar before – in both Chemistry and Calculus – but never this close. To be the target of such a devastating smile was—

“W-why me?”

—nerve-wracking. Kirk just chuckled like Leo had told him an amusing anecdote, which was even more confusing because Leo wasn’t very good at making people laugh.

“We need everyone we can get. Not enough people for a team this year.”

“But you – I don’t – I—” Perhaps the most perplexing element was how a bit of color tinged Kirk’s cheekbones – was he blushing? No, he probably just came in from the cold. Leo gawked, then scoffed and looked down to his book again, trying in vain to find the place where he left off. “Very funny.” He read for a few more moments, only to see Kirk still sitting across from him when he looked up.

“Seriously,” Kirk insisted. He scrutinized Leo with alarmingly blue eyes. Leo could get lost in those – _back on track, Leo._

“I’m no good for rugby.”

That should have been the end of it, and Kirk noisily scooted his chair out and stood to leave. As he passed, he patted Leo on the shoulder, gripping lightly and causing a warmth to blossom throughout Leo’s chest.

“Practice season has already started. Hope to see you there soon!”

What a weird Monday.

 

* * *

 

_And maybe when He says Rise the eyes will come floating up too, out of the deep quiet and the sleep, to look on glory. And after a while the flat irons would—_

“Heya, Bones!” called a familiar, booming voice.

Startled by Kirk’s sudden appearance, Leo let out a decidedly effeminate “gah!” and dropped his book. It slammed shut; he lost his place.

“How’s it goin’?”

Leo lamented his progress on Faulkner before turning to see the burly blond man sitting adjacent to him in his corner library table. “I didn’t know you knew where the library was,” he mumbled, rolling his eyes.

It played at a stereotype, and he knew it, but Kirk laughed at the jibe. “Good one. Hey, so, have you thought about the rugby team at all?”

Leo turned to face him and met a smile so bright his breath left him – and exactly what shade of blue were his eyes? Azure? Sapphire? No, too dark; _cerulean_ – and he stammered out his answer. “N-no,” he responded, a bit too forcefully judging by how Kirk’s grin widened even further and he chuckled again.

Leo blushed and looked down, busying his hands with picking at a dislodged piece of the faux wood tabletop.

Kirk picked up the book and inspected it. His brow lifted as if he were impressed – perhaps by Leo’s taste in fiction. Leo watched him flip through some of the pages and, having settled on one, use a finger as a bookmark. “We really could use you,” Kirk said, looking sincerely into Leo’s eyes. It made Leo’s heart flutter, but… Kirk was the sporty type, outgoing and daring; not at all the sort meant for Leo.

“I’ll think about it,” he croaked out.

“Great!” Kirk exclaimed. He held the book out, and Leo graciously took it, thumbing to the place Kirk had marked for him. With that, Kirk stood up and patted Leo’s shoulder again, gently thumbing at his clavicle. Another pleasant feeling of warmth spread through his chest, and Leo suddenly wished Kirk would stay a bit longer. “See you later!” he called to Leo as he left the library.

When he flipped the book back open, he noticed that Kirk had found where Leo had left off.

_—come floating up. I hid them under the end of the bridge and went back and leaned on the rail._

 

* * *

 

“Alright students, man your stations and begin the experiment.”

Leo approached his station and began categorizing his equipment. Today they were discovering the enthalpy of fusion of ice, and – where was Cindy?

Just as the thought occurred, Kirk slipped in across from him with that beautiful, stupid smile.

“Hey Bones!”

Leo sighed and looked away. He had been thinking about those eyes of Kirk’s with alarming regularity; the last thing Leo wanted was to be caught staring.

“Where’s Cindy?”

Kirk pointed over to his usual station, where Cindy presently eyed up his regular partner.

“Why is she there?”

Kirk idly patted the countertop with a fist, apparently in thought. “I asked her to switch with me.”

Leo gaped. “ _Why?_ ”

He glanced down at the table, smiling to himself in pause. “I wanted to set them up. Funny thing, I thought she’d be more nervous, but she seemed all too happy to do it.” That toothy grin would be the death of Leo.

“I can’t imagine why,” Leo muttered, rolling his eyes.

Kirk laughed – _laughed! –_ at that. “Neither can I; you’re great conversation. I never liked my old lab partner anyway.”

“You—it’s permanent? And Mrs. Masters signed off on this?”

Kirk smiled knowingly. “Yup!”

Forget the grin, _Kirk_ would be the death of him.

“Right. Can you hand me an apron so we can start?”

After donning their safety gear and assembling equipment, they started their experiment.

“So, I was wondering…” Kirk mused as he stirred the water with the thermometer.

Great.

“Have you thought any more about joining the team?”

Leo would have slammed his head on the table were it not riddled with delicate lab equipment. Instead he shrugged, helpless. “Why me?”

“We need you, Bones.”

“Don’t call me that. Why me?”

“We _need_ you,” Kirk insisted.

Leo sighed and continued with the experiment. Kirk was surprisingly studious, performing calculations seemingly as effortlessly as Leo himself. It was obvious Kirk didn’t want Leo as his lab partner to mooch off his work, so what was his endgame?

They continued the experiment for perhaps ten more minutes before Kirk piped up again.

“Is it the showers? Because you can just bathe at home.”

Leo shot a glare at him, but kept writing down notes.

“Don’t you wanna be part of a team? It’s a ton of fun!”

Leo ignored him and kept writing down results and completing calculations.

“It’s a great way to pick up chicks,” Kirk sing-songed, waggling his eyebrows.

A sardonic scoff was Leo’s answer.

“Great way to pick up dudes?” Kirk said in a half-question. Did he sound _hopeful…?_

Leo burned a furious red and avoided looking at Kirk. “P-pass me the – that flask? Erlenmeyer, the Erlenmeyer flask.” When he looked up at him again, he was writing notes in his book and wore the sort of soft smile that melted their female classmates’ hearts – and was he blushing _again?_

“Is it the grass stains? Because the uniforms are—”

Leo dropped his pen and groaned in frustration. “No, it’s not the grass stains!”

“Alright students, last call for cleanup!” Mrs. Masters called out.

Leo inspected his own notes; they were woefully incomplete, thanks to Kirk’s constant pestering. He bit his lip and pondered whether Kirk would be willing to—

“I can finish the lab write-up if you wanna clean up for us.” Kirk looked sincere as he offered Leo a glance at his complete notes.

“I – okay. Thank you—”

“Jim.” He gave a wide, friendly smile to Leo. Leo felt that twinge again, the fluttery feeling he was beginning to associate with Kirk – or, Jim, apparently. “You’ve never actually called me by name. Wouldn’t want you to forget it, now, would we?”

“Okay. Thank you, Jim.”

Jim took their notebooks back to Leo’s – now their, he supposed – desk, and filled in the necessary fields in the lab worksheet. Leo busily cleaned up and prepared the workstation for the next class. When he finished, Jim had already left.

It was then that Leo remembered they would have to write formal lab reports together.

_Damn it all._

 

* * *

 

After lunch, Leo went for his usual seat against the wall in Calculus – less opportunity for people to crowd him. He _would_ have taken his usual seat, except someone beat him to it; presently all of their work littered the desk.

He sighed and resigned himself to fate. It was just one day, after all.

While bent over to pull his calculator and textbook out of his backpack, someone clapped him on the back, making his forehead smack against the desk. “Ow,” he mouthed to himself. He turned to the offender and glared, only to see Jim sitting next to him – and looking back with those stupidly pretty eyes.

“Hey!” he said.

“Hi,” Leo said back, barely stopping it from becoming a question.

“What’s up?”

_Wondering why you’re here._

“Uh… nothing, I suppose.”

“Cool, cool.”

“Okay everyone,” Mr. Janeway said. He switched the projector to a PowerPoint lesson on Tangent Lines. “Please turn to page one seventy-three.”

Leo opened his book and flipped to the page in question. _Great, twenty exercises._ Around twenty minutes into Mr. Janeway’s lesson, Jim tapped on his shoulder.

“Hey,” he whispered. “Hey Bones.”

Leo ignored him for a few moments, but he tapped too incessantly for Leo to last more than a few moments.

“Hey—”

“What?” Leo asked under his breath.

“Have you given any more thought to rugby?”

Leo didn’t answer. After a few more minutes of lecture, Jim tapped on his shoulder again.

“Rugby?”

“Not right now,” Leo murmured.

A few more moments passed before Jim poked him again.

“What?!” Leo exclaimed. He froze as everyone – including Mr. Janeway – turned to stare at him. “I – uh, sorry,” he stammered. Mr. Janeway resumed speaking and Jim lightly patted him on the back.

“Sorry, but hey, it wasn’t _that_ bad.”

Leo wordlessly buried his face in his hands.

“You know,” Jim whispered. “You could always be a substitute. They aren’t on the field all the time.”

Leo quietly groaned. “Jim, not while Mr. Janeway’s teaching, please.”

“I – yeah, you’re right. Sorry.”

 

* * *

 

Leo wasn’t sure what had possessed him to take on a student made to attend tutoring. What he _was_ sure of was that for fifteen dollars an hour it was far too great a source of frustration to tutor a student that was otherwise totally apathetic to his teachings. He grumbled to himself all the way out of the library, looking forward to returning home.

He’d just finished stuffing his backpack into the passenger’s seat of his pickup truck when he heard the familiar dulcet tones of what was becoming the biggest problem in his life.

“Bones!” Jim huffed as he approached Leo. ‘Winded’ was not quite a strong enough word to describe the state of the other man. “Look – this is the last time I’m gonna ask—” Jim managed to choke out between heavy inhales. Every breath hung as a thick cloud in the frigid air. “We don’t have enough people.” He straightened up and looked right into Leo’s eyes. “Join the rugby team?”

Leo’s jaw dropped at the sight of Jim, covered in sweat, glistening in the sunlight. His hair framed his face like a halo, so blond and bright – the sweaty sleeveless top he wore clung to his body, accentuating his burly build and hugging his muscles in all the right places. His arms – Leo could write _poetry_ about those arms – were proudly on full display, all the powerful muscles ready for action. Leo’s eyes traced the veins down Jim’s biceps, leading toward—

“Please?”

The vision of masculinity in front of him had distracted him enough that Leo failed to notice how Jim shrunk when he remained speechless. He sounded quiet, almost desperate, but _why?_ He practically made puppy dog eyes now, and was shivering – not difficult to believe given the sub-freezing temperature.

“Bones?”

“Okay,” Leo croaked out, in a voice sounding very unlike his own. Jim smiled anew, a bright, ear-to-ear grin that melted Leo’s heart.

“Really?!” Gone was the quiet despair from not a moment ago. Leo had the sudden, startling thought that he would do anything to keep that look on Jim’s face.

“Yeah, I – sure.”

“Okay, wait right here? I gotta get the papers out of my car.” Jim jogged over to a nearby silver Corolla and dug around in it before finding a stack of papers. When he returned and handed the packet to Leo, he wore an expression so absurdly delighted that Leo’s suspicions were quite unfortunately confirmed: it was worth joining the team if he could see that smile again.

“I’ll see you at practice, okay?” Jim gripped his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze, and the warmth made its comeback.

Jim turned around and started back toward the gym, leaving Leo to his own thoughts. As he drove home, he couldn’t help but think about how good Jim looked dripping with sweat, every muscle outlined by his tight shirt.

 

* * *

 

The paperwork sat on Leo’s desk for two days, glaring at him. While working on homework he’d side-eye it and proceed to pretend it didn’t exist. This worked for a little while, but eventually he thought of how happy Jim had looked when he said he’d join, and his heart melted.

It wasn’t until Sunday evening that Leo approached his parents.

“Mama, papa?” he asked during dinner. “I wanna join the rugby team.”

David choked on his cheeseburger.

“You what?” Eleanora asked, looking more than a little incredulous, while David coughed and hacked to clear the debris in his throat.

“I wanna join the rugby team.”

When his father finally dislodged the chunk of meat, he stared curiously at Leo. “Why rugby? Why a sport at all? You’ve never been the sporty type.”

“Well,” Leo stalled for a moment; somehow, he didn’t think his parents would consider his preoccupation with a certain smile and set of striking blue eyes to be an adequate reason for taking up athletics. “I… wanna broaden my horizons. I’ve got one year of high school after this, and I wanna play a sport before it’s too late.” Leo prided himself on never putting useless fluff in his papers, but there was a time and place for faking.

“Leonard! Rugby ain’t a gentle sport! There’s tacklin’ and punchin’ and kickin’ and—”

“Mama, there’s no punchin’ in rugby.” Leo’s drawl always thickened when frustrated. Why was he fighting this so much? Jim couldn’t blame him if his parents declined his application. But then he thought of how excited Jim was and—

“Elly, we could give him a shot.”

Eleanora glared skeptically at Leo’s father. “David Andrew McCoy, have you gone off your rocker?! My baby ain’t got the build for rugby!”

David stroked his stubbled chin in thought. “Well, it ain’t like he’ll be jumpin’ right into the fire, there’ll be a few weeks before games start an’ if he starts workin’ out ‘n doin’ cardio, it shouldn’t be so bad.”

Eleanora sighed. Dinner remained quiet for a few minutes, Leo growing more anxious with each passing second of silence. His mother started fiddling with her hair, and sighed in acquiescence. “One injury an’ you’re out, young man, you hear me? One injury, ‘n no more sports.”

Leo sagged in relief. Another part of him lamented the collapse of the second barrier to joining the team. “Alright mama, no more’n that.”

After they cleared the dinner table, Leo brought the paperwork to David and filled it out with him.

“Y’need a physical, son. Better call Dr. Puri tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

One piece of paper grabbed Leo’s attention. It was an optional survey asking a few intake questions, including how he became interested in applying. He couldn’t very well say he’d started wondering if Jim Kirk were just as big everywhere else as he was in the upper body, so he opted to ignore the survey.

Once he and David completed the paperwork, Leo retired to his room to busy himself with _Mrs. Dalloway._

 

* * *

 

Dr. Puri’s exam room was the pinnacle of generic: exam table with tissue paper laid impeccably over it, all the standard medical equipment hanging from various places, and a boring off-white coat of paint on the walls.

Leo tapped his leg anxiously – the third barrier to preventing him from playing rugby loomed before him. Unfortunately, Dr. Puri hadn’t had an opening until Tuesday afternoon; Jim had been disappointed, as it meant Leo would miss that day’s practice.

A knock at the door made him jump and he willed himself not to shred the medical paperwork then and there. Dr. Puri, a plain, grizzled man in his late 40’s with virtually no distinguishing features, entered the room and greeted Leo jovially.

“Leonard! How good to see you again.” The doctor sat himself at his computer and shook Leo’s hand with a firm grip, then loaded his medical history. “So my assistant tells me you’ve some permission forms for me to sign off on.”

Last chance. He could back out now and make up an excuse – but then the image of Jim _blushing_ filled his mind, and he handed over the papers without another second’s hesitation.

Dr. Puri took the papers and noted they were slightly damp from perspiration. “Bit nervous, are we?” He chuckled to himself and cross-referenced Leo’s medical work. “Well you’ve always been in good health, so… you just need an updated physical, so let’s begin, shall we?”

This was the part about doctor visits Leo hated the most – ironic considering he wanted to _be_ one. Over the next few minutes, Dr. Puri checked his respiration, vitals, and other measures of health. Leo burned with self-consciousness when Dr. Puri asked him to remove his shirt and pants to conduct the usual inspection, including the dreaded ‘turn your head and cough.’

The doctor busied himself with papers, signing once and for all Leo’s clean bill of health and authorizing him to partake in whatever sport he may wish. When he finished, he handed the stack off to Leo and patted his shoulder.

“All set! Anything else I should know about?”

“Uh, no… no I think that’s it,” Leo mumbled.

“Alright, well if you need anything, feel free to give me a call. Happy punting!” Dr. Puri left the room, leaving Leo with his own thoughts.

Was there punting in rugby? Leo was in way over his head.


	2. Chapter 2

Soon after his doctor’s appointment, Leo dropped his paperwork off in Coach Pike’s mailbox. Jim assured him that Pike would see it and he’d be able to attend the next practice without any objections.

That was how he came to stand on the football field of the school with Jim Kirk, Coach Pike, and several other students that Thursday at three. A few of the students he didn’t know seemed to be withholding giggles; Leo presumed they were directed at him.

It was frigid, a bit foggy, and the grass looked damp from frost melting in the afternoon sun. Being February, Leo had purchased some long johns to wear, along with a generic jersey until his custom fit could be ordered.

But despite it being only slightly above freezing, the ground miraculously wasn’t frozen so they’d be doing the usual practice routine – whatever that was.

Chris Pike, the graying sports teacher known for his ‘tough love’ teaching style and iconic walking cane, finished giving them a pep talk and started them on their dynamic warm ups.

Leo felt silly and self-conscious, lunge-walking across the field and doing knee lifts to loosen his muscles, but since everyone did it he hoped they were more concerned with their own activities.

After a few more exercises, Pike had them run around in a circle, passing the ball between them as others weaved in and out in a complex game. Every now and then he caught one of the buffoons staring at him, and he tried not to let his embarrassment show. More than once, however, he dropped the ball or it struck him in the chest a little harder than he thought was strictly necessary for rugby practice, and left his face burning in shame.

When it came time to do pair warm ups, Leo shrunk away from the group. He knew no one except Jim, and feared bullying from the other players before he even got to know them. It wasn’t exactly an unreasonable assumption to make; ‘guilty before proven innocent’ worked quite well in the past in defending himself.

Jim approached him as if Leo were a scared animal. “Hey Bones, gotta pair off now.” While he relaxed a bit in Jim’s presence, that brawny body of his being so close made him a little apprehensive.

“Don’t call me that!” _Yes, Leo, anger’s a good defense mechanism._

“Here, I’ll show you.” Jim gingerly gripped Leo’s wrist and hooked it over his deltoid so his weight was braced on Jim’s shoulder. In turn, Jim gripped Leo’s and squeezed lightly. The powerful muscle under Leo’s fingers bunched up from flexing, and an unpleasant warmth spread over his face as he was given an up close and personal experience of Jim’s bulky musculature.

“Now, swing your leg between us like this.” Jim demonstrated, waving the inner leg to and fro past Leo’s. He mimicked Jim and felt the muscle loosen up, though he felt like he was six again. Perhaps he should sing “Skip to My Lou,” though calling Jim darlin’ would likely result in missing teeth.

After a moment, Jim let go. “Other leg, now.” He moved to Leo’s other shoulder and held it, squeezing reassuringly. A moment’s hesitation was all it took for Jim to raise a question. “You okay? You’re really red.”

Leo’s eyes widened in surprise – was he that obvious? “Um… uh, yeah, I’m just... really warm.” He took Jim by the shoulder and together they swung their legs back and forth.

After a moment, they swapped shoulders and repeated the other leg. “Not one for exercise?” Jim huffed with an irritatingly attractive half-grin.

They swapped again. Leo scoffed. “Exercise won’t help me get into med school.”

The other leg. “Oh? Wanna play doctor?” Jim winked. Wait, was he—

“I wanna be a neurosurgeon some day.”

One last time. “Fancy,” Jim said. They separated and Jim patted Leo on the bicep, again squeezing gently and thumbing at his shoulder. “You’ll do great, just keep up the good work,” he said quietly, before leaving to rejoin the group. After briefly lamenting the loss of Jim’s hand on his arm and wishing his touch had been more tender, he joined the group as well.

Leo had a very big problem and his name was James T. Kirk.

 

* * *

 

Twenty minutes of various warm up activities and a few drills left Leo exhausted. Then, Coach Pike called out to start one-on-one scrumming. Jim approached Leo again with a stupid half-grin.

“W-what’s scrumuh-ming?” Leo stammered. Jim looked about as flushed red as Leo felt from all the exertion.

“We’ll get to that. First, I need to teach you the form. So, make sure you’ve locked your core.” Jim patted his belly to show what he meant. “And put your hands on your hips.” The other man showed him how to stand, and Leo mimicked him.

“Okay… now what?”

“Now practice pushing your hips forward, and backward, like this.” Jim thrust his hips toward Leo, then away, pushing his butt out. Leo felt very much like fainting at the sight of Jim’s muscular butt in those tight shorts.

He copied Jim again, thrusting forward and back, face hot with embarrassment.

“That looks good.” _No it doesn’t, it looks stupid._ “Okay, now, push your hips forward and with your hands still on your hips, bend your knees and lean forward.” Leaning forward became falling forward, but Jim caught him by the shoulders. He chuckled and set Leo back at a good balance spot. “See how hard it is?”

Jim stood in front of him and showed him exactly how to pose. “Like this. Okay, see what they’re doing?” Jim hooked a thumb over his shoulder to point to other pairs of players, who were all on their knees, gripping and trying to push each other backward as if they were bull rushing one another.

Leo thought it looked positively bizarre. “What’s the point of that?” he asked, staring as they shifted their weight from their knees to their feet.

“ _That_ is scrumming. Players all huddle together like that in a sort of pile up, and the hooker tries to get possession of the ball,” Jim stated.

“The _hooker?_ ” Leo asked, incredulous at the choice of name.

“Yeah!” Jim grinned. “That’s me.” He gestured to the large 2 emblazoned on his jersey, apparently proud of the lascivious title.

Jim Kirk is the hooker. Of course. “Well,” Leo muttered. “Let’s get it over with.”

Jim kept grinning – he really needed to stop doing that. “Okay, so, first we get down on our knees. You tuck your head by the other person’s shoulder, and then grab onto each other’s sides, like this.” Jim gestured toward his side. “You need to hold right here.” Jim took Leo’s hands and pressed them against his obliques. Again, Leo blushed at the contact. “Harder,” Jim insisted. Leo complied, holding tight onto the rock-hard muscle.

Images of holding Jim like this in a much more intimate setting filled Leo’s mind.

“Okay, now bend over,” Jim said, pantomiming for Leo to do so.

If there was a God, they were probably laughing at Leo right now. He tried as much as possible to think unsexy thoughts to will an erection away – _mom making peach pie._ Both of them bent over on all fours and Jim looked up at Leo with bright, happy eyes.

Jim would be the death of him.

“Okay, now reach over my back and grab my sides, but tuck your head under my shoulder.”

Wanting very much to disappear forever, Leo hooked his arms over Jim’s back and tightly gripped his uniform, pressing firmly into his obliques – _eating cotton candy at the carnival._ He started away from the bulky man when his fingers pressed into Leo’s sides.

“Ow!” Jim cried as Leo’s head collided with his chin.

“Oh god, I’m sorry! Are you okay?” Leo didn’t think he’d hit that hard – had he? “I’m sorry, you startled me.” There went any hopes of ever getting Jim interested in him.

He rubbed at his chin, working his jaw a bit to check the joints. “Yeah, I’m fine.” At Leo’s panicked expression, Jim started laughing. “It’s okay! I’m sorry I forgot to warn about that. I thought it was obvious.” He sat back on his haunches, showing off handsomely hairy legs bunching up from the strong muscles, and a large bulge between them – _think about dead puppies, Leo._ “Okay, let’s try again. This time, I’ll have to hold on to you. Alright?”

Leo hesitated – he already had enough body image problems without the Adonis sitting across from him actually touching his thin, unfit frame.

“I won’t hurt you, I promise.” A soft, sincere smile crossed Jim’s face, and although Leo thought his answering frown would discourage the other boy, his expression did not falter.

“Okay,” he mumbled. How could he refuse such a sweet smile?

“Alright, hook your arms over me again. Now, I’m gonna put my hands on your sides. Ready?” This time, Jim was careful and slow about it. When his hands made contact with Leo’s mushy obliques, Leo tensed under them, but didn’t flinch away. “Okay, good. Now, flex your legs and push against me.”

Jim was a lot stronger, but Leo managed to avoid being toppled by the burly man.

“Good, now, relax your legs, and flex again. Lift yourself off the ground and push against me a few times.”

Leo pushed, lifting himself over and over until Jim let go. While he wasn’t quite used to him – or anyone – touching him, it wasn’t as bad as the first time.

“Now we switch, so I’m hooking my arms over you and our heads switch places.”

Again, they pushed against each other until Leo let his weight fall to his knees. Despite being so cold out, he felt warm, and heaved out breath from overexertion.

Jim huffed and patted his shoulder. “You okay?”

Leo’s first few attempts at words came out as meaningless exhales. “Yeah – I’m just not – not used to this.”

Jim sat back and scratched his cheek. “You know, I could always help with that.”

Did he mean the touching…? “With what?” Leo asked nervously.

“I can help you work out, if you want.”

Personal time with Jim around weight machines? “Okay,” he choked out.

 

* * *

 

By the end of practice, Leo was drenched in sweat, gulping air like he would drown if he didn’t, and feeling more than a little sick from all the activity. Jim approached him, looking equally sweaty but in much better condition.

“I may throw up on you,” Leo mumbled from the bench he sat on.

“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad.” He sat down next to Leo and patted him on the back. “In all seriousness, are you okay?” he asked quietly.

Were Leo in higher spirits he’d be better able to appreciate the strong hand rubbing up and down his spine in slow, soothing strokes. “I don’t think I can do this every week,” he groaned.

“Three times a week,” Jim said.

“Three?!” Leo exclaimed. “I – yeah, I really don’t think I can do that.”

“Well, you did a good job anyway. It’ll get better if you start working out, and I can help with that. Do you want some water?” Jim offered a bottle, which Leo gratefully took and started chugging.

Why couldn’t Jim be a jerk? It’d make it so much easier to _not_ develop a crush on him.

“So, we have a formal lab report due tomorrow.”

“Great,” Leo huffed. More time spent with the young man who was quickly worming his way into his life in all the worst ways.

“Are you busy after this?”

A quick mental tally of his to-do list came up with absolutely nothing; Leo had completed all his other assignments already, and besides dinner, his only other plan was a long session with _Vile Bodies._

“No,” Leo said.

“We should crank out that lab report,” Jim suggested.

Leo could either decline and do it himself, or he could give in to temptation and let Jim continue to ruin his life.

“Okay.”

“Great! Is your place okay?” Jim asked.

“Uh… it should be? I don’t see why it wouldn’t…” Leo and Cindy had always written theirs in the library – a bit odd that Jim would suggest his house. “After dinner should be fine.”

“Cool, that works great. See you in the showers!” Jim gave Leo a final pat on the back before standing to leave, dragging the bag of rugby balls behind him.

A few minutes later, Leo realized that Jim’s hand hadn’t left his back for a single moment while they sat there. He ached for the gentle touch to return.

 

* * *

 

Leo used every moment after practice not spent showering making his room presentable, though he wasn’t sure why; they were just composing a lab report. It didn’t matter to him what Jim thought of his room, or his house, or the complete lack of anything unrelated to science on the walls – or Leo.

One problem with that assertion: it did matter.

Jim obviously liked him to some odd degree – why else would he ask him to join the rugby team, or weasel his way into being his lab partner, or offer to help him work out, or ask to write the lab report together at his house when the library would suffice?

Unless it was all some cosmic joke. Perhaps someone had dared him. Perhaps he thought it was funny.

Perhaps Jim honestly liked Leo and thought he was far more personable than anyone else did. Perhaps he was stringing Leo along as a cruel prank. Or perhaps – and Leo ascribed to this option a very small chance of being true – Jim liked him as more than a friend.

But that was just… stupid.

Jim was popular, handsome, charming, intelligent. _Muscular._ Out of the five, Leo was only one. Jim could have anyone on campus eating out of the palm of his hand like a starving dog if he so much as asked. Why would he ever be interested in Leo?

If it really were something more than simple friendship he was after, what if Jim lived up to his reputation? The rumor mill was always abounding with Jim’s latest bedroom conquest – the rabble always referred to him as the ‘wham, bam, thank you ma’am’ sort.

Along with muscular came strong and virile, the sort that would likely bruise and batter poor Leo’s meager frame after any sort of shenanigans, be them in the bedroom, bathroom, or any other sort of salacious locale Jim could choose. Leo had no idea how to please anyone, much less a strong man; there wasn’t anything he could offer to Jim.

All his vim and vigor left, replaced with a painful despair; it was at that moment he decided cleaning had no point and flopped down on his bed, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes. He’d had a few crushes over the years but they had all been from afar. This one was all the worse, what with Jim’s sudden interest in Leo, regardless of reason or purpose behind it, and did the guy have to keep _touching him?_

A buzzing sound came from his nightstand – it was a text from Jim.

(Right after practice they had exchanged numbers – Jim had sent him a winky face to confirm the correct number – and then Leo had messaged his parents to inform them of their plans.)

From: Jim Kirk  
 _Leaving now, be there in 10_

_Awesome,_ the object of his growing affections was on his way right now to flaunt it in his face. Leo debated cancelling at the last minute, though that would probably make him feel worse. It certainly wouldn’t help his relatio—friendship – with Jim develop any further, but wouldn’t letting it make it hurt more in the long run?

Leo started typing out a text intending to cancel their plans, but ended up sending:

To: Jim Kirk  
 _Okay, see you then_

Stupid fingers.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang and Leo heard his mother answer. Leo heard Jim’s mellifluous – he needed to stop romanticizing him – voice muffled by the walls, as Jim introduced himself to Eleanora.

“Hi, I’m Jim, here to work on a project with Leonard. And you must be…?”

_Leonard._ Better than Bones.

“Oh, how nice to meet you, Jim. I’m Eleanora. Leonard’s right this way.” Stomping of boots on the rug. Footsteps down the hall. “This is his room, I’ll leave you to it.” A knock at the door.

“Come in,” Leo croaked. He stood in the center of the room, hands in his pockets and eyes cast down toward the blue carpet as Jim swung the door open and walked in.

“Cool place,” Jim said as he took in the sight of Leo’s room. Science posters littered the walls; a trio of home-grown crystals – one blue, another orange, the last green – and a vial containing a large sample of metallic Gallium sat on an oak desk in the corner; a low table sat in the middle of the room with chemistry notes, textbooks, and Leo’s laptop; in another corner, a well-used and comfortable loveseat, with a sizeable TV across from it. Most other accoutrements had been stuffed away out of illogical shame – not like there was anything more aside from medical equipment or science tchotchke.

“It isn’t really—”

“Is that gallium?!” Jim exclaimed. He jogged the short distance to Leo’s desk and picked up the vial, clutching it to warm it up.

“Um… yeah. Be careful with it… it—”

“Yeah, I know.” Jim turned around to face him, smiling gleefully, and Leo froze.

Jim wore an absurdly low-cut black V-neck shirt that showed off the valley between his pecs and a _very_ handsome coat of blond fur. The shirt stretched across his torso, hugging his muscles and cuffing his thick biceps.

Why hath God forsaken Leonard Horatio McCoy?

“So, should we get started?” Jim asked, rolling the gallium vial between his hands. It had already begun to liquefy, and Jim grinned at the vial.

Leo’s heart pounded in his chest. Jim Kirk was alone with him in his bedroom; literally anything could happen, and with how Jim’s _big_ hands distractingly rubbed the steadily-warming vial, his mind filled with possibilities, both pleasant and uncomfortably not.

“Bones? You okay?” Jim slowly asked, lips turning down into a concerned frown.

_‘I won’t hurt you, I promise.’_

“Um,” Leo muttered, now blushing furiously and trying not to look at the wide expanse of hair on Jim’s chest – or his wonderfully blue eyes full of worry. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he mumbled weakly.

“You sure? I can just do it myself if you’re feeling sick…?” Jim offered.

“No, I’m – I’m good, let’s get started.”

Leo sat cross-legged on the floor askew of his laptop. When Jim sat as well, gently setting the vial of now-fluid gallium next to Leo’s chemistry book, his jaw dropped with a quiet gasp at Leo’s expensive laptop.

“Is this new?” Jim asked, running a hand over the metal casing almost reverently.

“Yeah, I got it for my birthday,” Leo said.

“I envy you,” Jim said, fiddling with the wireless mouse, apparently checking the responsiveness of the sleek machine. “The nicest thing I have is my phone.” He took out said smartphone and fiddled with it.

Leo noticed it wasn’t a particularly recent model; any sort of computer Jim had couldn’t be much better.

“Well, anyway, I have the notes for the lab report mostly written up…”

 

* * *

 

Together, they finished the lab report in record time, taking only about an hour – much faster than Leo had ever done with Cindy. And he only caught himself staring at Jim a few—okay, he’d lost track of how many times he caught himself staring at Jim. Hair, stubble, eyes, biceps, chest fur; if it wasn’t one thing, it was another.

But it wasn’t as if he hadn’t caught Jim looking at him. Every so often he’d turn to look and Jim’s eyes would dart away.

“Wow, it’s only eight and we’re already done. All Cindy ever wanted to do was circumvent school internet filters to blog about her latest pair of shoes.”

A loud laugh erupted from Jim – it wasn’t that funny, was it? – and Leo’s heart stopped at the sight of the man next to him, hands clasped together in glee, chest heaving with every huff of amusement. He laughed with his entire body, nearly falling backward from the force of his laughter. Dimples showed, a bright smile bared white teeth for the world, and blue, crinkling eyes sparkled in the lamplight as he beamed at Leo like he were a dear friend.

“Gary did the same,” Jim choked out, only to start giggling again.

Leo withheld laughter, staring in disbelief. “Posted about shoes?”

Jim enthusiastically nodded. “Yup!”

Leo chuckled, eventually growing into a raucous guffaw, only to make Jim cackle cheerfully all over again. Once the cacophony died down, Leo’s eyes met Jim gazing fondly to him, cheeks pinked slightly and lips turned up in a soft smile that barely showed adorable buck teeth. Catching himself staring yet again, Leo frowned and shifted his gaze down to their work on the table.

“Um,” Leo said, clearing his throat. “Lemme just print this off…” His face burned as he sent off the document to their printer.

“Were you… doing anything else this evening?” Jim asked, taking Leo by surprise. He glanced back up to Jim, who looked a little sheepish.

Spending time with Jim would probably just make the letdown all the worse. “Uh, actually… I’m pretty tired after today,” he said. It was only a half-lie; he’d exhausted himself all over again after cleaning up to make his room tolerable for his guest.

“Everything really sore?” Jim asked.

“Not yet, I’m just glad I don’t have to climb the stairs to get to my room,” Leo mumbled. That wasn’t even the half of it.

“Want a massage?” Jim asked, waggling his eyebrows and smiling at Leo. Oh, how Leo wished Jim’s hands would work down his back, kneading into every sore spot before softening to something less therapeutic. Whatever it’d be.

“Um… no, that – that’s okay.” He flushed again and looked down toward his paperwork.

“Oh, alright, so…” Jim sounded disappointed. The kid could act, that was for sure.

“Probably just gonna wind down for the evening.”

“Okay, cool. I should get going, then,” Jim mumbled. He gathered up his paperwork and stuffed it in his backpack he had brought. “So I’ll see you in Chemistry, I guess?”

“When is the next practice?”

“Saturday at noon.”

“Oh, alright,” Leo said.

“Okay. Well… I guess I’ll see you then.”

“I’ll show you out,” Leo said, now feeling incredibly awkward.

He led Jim to the living room, retrieving his printout from the office along the way, and Jim paused at the front door.

“Well um, see you around,” he said, waving shyly at Leo before seeing himself out.

“Yeah, bye,” Leo responded, looking down at his socks.

Leo was the most awkward person in existence.

 

* * *

 

That evening, Leo stood in the shower, hot water pounding on his back and loosening his muscles. As he lathered himself up, his thoughts turned to Jim.

Jim smiling, laughing and gazing fondly at Leo. Jim gently stroking his back, squeezing his shoulder, and thumbing at his bicep.

Leo’s hand wandered further down toward his dick, water and suds serving as lube. He slowly stroked himself, twitching as he twisted his palm over his cock head.

He thought of Jim in that tight black shirt, leaving so little to the imagination, and Jim’s muscled chest, begging Leo to run his hands through the soft, manly hair.

Leo shuddered as he worked his length, eyes squeezed shut in concentration on his mental image of Jim. He huffed at the drag of his palm over the crown of his cock.

He thought of Jim’s muscles yielding under his fingers, the hard torso under his hands, and imagined what he might look like without a shirt on at all. He thought of what it might sound like to hear Jim whisper ‘Leo…’

Leo bit his lip to withhold a moan as he convulsed with pleasure, shooting thick, white cum all over the tile wall, splattering and streaking down toward the drain in long ropes. He tore his hands away from his cock in horror, even as it begged to be stroked through the aftershocks. Gaping at the spot where he painted the wall with jizz, he scrambled for the shower head and sprayed away any evidence he’d just brought himself off to daydreams of Jim Kirk saying his name in the nude. Once it was all gone, he buried his face in his hands and groaned.

Not only was Leo the most awkward person in existence, he was now that creepy guy that masturbated to thoughts of his friends.

Perfect. Just perfect.


	3. Chapter 3

If Leo felt guilty last night, it was nothing compared to sitting next to Jim in Chemistry. Every so often, Leo caught Jim looking at him out of the corner of his eye. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t shake the memory of last night, when he came harder than he had in recent memory all over the shower wall while thinking of the man next to him.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Leo started at the hand on his shoulder; everyone else was leaving for their next class. How had time passed so fast?

“Huh?” Leo asked.

Jim squeezed his shoulder, the gesture reassuring, but magnifying the guilt curling in Leo’s gut. “You barely took any notes and you look pretty tired. Are you getting sick?”

That sounded like a good excuse. “Yeah… I’m not feeling so great.” Well, it wasn’t a _lie._

“Do you need to go to the nurse’s office?” Jim asked, still looking at Leo with concern. Leo felt a twinge in his chest, an ache for Jim to care for him more than as a friend.

“I think I’ll be fine,” he mumbled.

Jim worried a lip between his teeth in thought. Leo finally met his eyes and pushed the sense memory of his orgasm out of his mind. As much as he knew that it was impossible, he deeply hoped Jim couldn’t read his mind.

“Do you at least want help getting to your next class?”

Curse him for being so thoughtful. “No, I’ll be fine,” Leo insisted.

“Well… alright.” Jim searched him for a moment before scooting out of his seat. “I’ll see you later,” he said, waving as he left the room.

Leo was absolute trash.

 

* * *

 

The guilt continued, unabated throughout the entire day. Now Leo really understood why infatuation was oft a topic of so many a song or poem. For Jim to think of him as an intimate partner was not that much to ask. But if Jim ever learned of his growing feelings…

It would likely be the death knell to their budding friendship.

Pining from afar wasn’t such an awful thing. That Saturday, however, seeing Jim in tiny rugby shorts and a short-sleeved uniform exposing him to the elements just reminded Leo how attractive he was.

Luckily, warm ups and practice were once again exhausting. Although Jim joined him for pair warm ups and his touch seemed needlessly gentle (yet again), Leo managed to keep his feelings in check – for the most part, anyway.

Leo’s water break stretched on from the allotted thirty seconds to sixty, to two minutes, to five minutes, and at that point Coach Pike approached him.

“McCoy? Leonard, was it?” He asked.

Leo could only nod between heaving breaths.

“You don’t look too well, son.”

Leo looked up at the coach. He wasn’t the oldest school teacher Leo had ever seen, but he certainly wasn’t anywhere near the youngest. Wrinkles littered his face and his hair had long ago begun graying, but something about him – the crow’s feet around his eyes, perhaps? – led Leo to believe he was not the oppressive or wicked sort of instructor. The man stood ramrod straight, looking down at him with concern evident in every feature.

“I’m not—” Leo huffed. “I’m not doing so good.” That was quite the understatement.

Coach Pike sat down on the bench a few feet away from him. “You don’t look like the rugby type.”

Leo shook his head. “I’m not. Not really.”

“What made you join?” Pike still watched the team practice. One of the first things Leo had noticed about Pike was how vigilant and attentive he was.

Telling Pike that he was infatuated with the team captain didn’t seem like a particularly good idea. “I wanted to get something for a varsity jacket,” he fibbed.

“Well, at this rate, you probably won’t be making varsity,” Pike said truthfully. “At least not this year.”

The cold seemed to rush in all at once, chilling Leo to the bone. Jim only played varsity rugby; if Leo wasn’t playing varsity, he wouldn’t even be practicing with Jim. He held up a palm in a defeated, one-handed shrug. “There goes the only reason I joined… might as well quit while I’m behind.”

Pike’s gaze left the team briefly as he searched Leo for something. After a few moments of silence, he turned to better face him. “I have a better idea,” Pike said, a knowing smile crossing his features.

“Yeah?”

“How about, instead of playing, you work as my assistant?”

Leo thought for a moment. What benefit would that confer? He shrugged and asked, “What good would that do for the team?”

“Well, for one, I’m getting old, and the physical aspect of coaching is catching up to me. Two, you wouldn’t nearly kill yourself every practice. Three, you’d learn the game without having to play and you’ll have more time to get in shape, so if you still want to play varsity your senior year, you’ll have a running start.”

Leo only really needed a few moments of contemplation before coming to a decision. “Okay. What do I do?”

Pike started filling him in on the responsibilities Leo would fulfill. Setting up rugby equipment. Acting as water boy and observing the team. Learning the game and helping Pike come up with new team strategies. Pike would take care of all desk work, since he really only needed assistance with the laborious aspect of the job.

“Do I need to sign anything for this?” Leo inquired.

“A few sheets as a contractual agreement of responsibilities.”

Leo nodded. “Alright.”

“I’ll go get that right now.”

Pike stood to go fetch the paperwork from his office, leaving Leo to watch over the team. Jim approached at a light jog, pulling up short in front of Leo.

“Hey, you okay?” Jim asked, chest heaving as he caught his breath. “I saw Chris talking to you and didn’t wanna interrupt.”

“Uh, well… I won’t be playing anymore,” Leo answered. His heart clenched at the disheartened expression the young man gave him.

“Aww, what? Why?” Did Jim really have to sound so disappointed? It wasn’t making this any easier.

“I’m not cut out for this,” he replied, gesturing toward the other players still working their 3v2 routines.

Jim scratched at his stubbled jaw, still looking downcast. Why was he so sad that Leo wouldn’t be playing?

“Well… I’m gonna be the coach’s assistant. Does that help at all?”

Jim gave an ear-to-ear grin, and Leo perked up a bit at the bright smile. “Really?”

Jim’s behavior got more and more confusing by the minute. “Yeah,” he said. “He’s off getting the paperwork now.”

“That’s awesome!” Jim exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He turned to face the team, still grinning madly.

“Uh…” His heart sped up in anticipation of the upcoming question. “I still wanna play next year, but right now I’m too much of a weakling, so… would you still help me at the gym?” Leo asked in a tiny, anxious tone.

Jim turned back to face him, still smiling. “Of course I will!”

Damn that boy for being handsome, friendly, and apparently interested in spending time with Leo.

 

* * *

 

On his way to lunch, a passerby slammed Leo into his locker door. Otherwise, he was having a pretty good Monday. After school at his car, Jim approached him with a wide smile.

“Hey Bo—where did that come from?” Jim asked, his grin disappearing and his brow furrowing as he stared at the angry red mark on Leo’s face.

“Oh, this? Someone bumped into me and I hit my locker. It’s okay though.” Leo shrugged – he was used to immature delinquents deciding he was an easy target.

“Are you sure? It looks like it really hurts.” Jim reached out to touch it, withdrawing like he thought better before his hand made contact. Leo wished he hadn’t.

“I’m fine,” he insisted.

Jim rubbed at his chin, his gaze lingering on the welt. He shrugged. Maybe he didn’t think it worth pursuit. “Well, ready to go to the gym, then?” Jim asked.

This was what Leo had been looking forward to all weekend, despite all logic saying it should be dreaded: working out with Jim, if only to see those beautiful muscles flexing for – well, near – him.

Jim drove them to a local gym, and the entire car ride, Leo kept glancing nervously over at him. He just smiled while he drove through the suburbs to a small commercial district.

“Uh… so, what sort of gym is this?” Leo asked.

“It’s a pretty small gym. The owner knows my mom; he lets me work out there for free. You’ll like him!”

That didn’t make Leo feel much better. The rest of the trip passed in silence; the longer the silence stretched on, the more tension built up in him. His leg bounced involuntarily, and he worried his nails against each other. When they finally arrived, Jim ushered him inside, a duffel bag thrown over his shoulder.

The gym was even smaller than Leo had expected. Filled with machines whose purpose eluded him, Leo felt the room shrink as he noticed how little free space to walk there actually was. A few patrons were already working out, and after a brief introduction to the gym owner, Jim brought him to the locker room to change.

Much like the boys’ locker room at school, it smelled odd, had a dirty concrete floor, and too-small shower stalls (with no privacy curtains) lining one wall. The lockers were either cubbies that would never fit the duffel bag, or tall ones that had far too much space.

Jim dug around in his bag and handed Leo a white shirt and a pair of shorts that were both too big for him.

“Are there any changing rooms?” Leo asked timidly. He glanced around, and only found a sauna room.

Jim was already halfway through pulling off his shirt, but paused at Leo’s question. “Uh, no, there aren’t any. There’s…” Jim looked around to check for other gym patrons, but they were alone. “You can stand on the other side of these lockers and change, I think that’s as good as it gets.”

Leo plodded over to the other side, away from the prying eyes of onlookers – or rather, Jim – and shook out the shirt and shorts. He took a breath and hastily removed his shirt, feeling far too exposed as he scraped for the new one. He pulled it over his head as quickly as possible, then did likewise with his pants, pulling the shorts on roughly and adjusting them once they were fully on.

Overall, the entire ensemble was far too loose. The hem of the shirt reached well past the waistband of the black shorts, and the neck was far too big, showing off a fair amount of skin as it hung crookedly off one shoulder.

Leo tried adjusting the top so it didn’t show off so much, but every attempt was fruitless – it either showed off too much of either shoulder, or too much bare chest and the wispy hair still growing in that paled in comparison to Jim’s masculine fur. He settled for shoulder, and rounded the corner to meet Jim again and—

There is no mercy for Leo McCoy.

Jim was pulling his shoes back on, but that’s not what captured Leo’s attention. Rather, it was the white shirt, sleeves ripped off, baring every muscle in Jim’s arms for the world to see. While his black shorts hung loose like Leo’s, they showed off sculpted and hairy legs the likes of which Leo could not have dreamt up.

His eyes widened at the manly sight in front of him, showing his burly build off for the world to see. Why was this his life now?

Jim stood and put his hands on his hips, showing off his arms in the process and making Leo feel highly self-conscious and rather inadequate. “Ready to go?”

“Uh… yeah,” Leo mumbled. Jim dug around in his duffel bag and pulled out a pen and some paper, locked up their belongings, and brought Leo out into the main area.

“So, first we’ll start with a warm up.”

A row of five floor-mounted exercise bikes was their first stop. While they only went for two minutes, Leo certainly felt a more-than-slight burning in his legs; he supposed that was the point.

Jim wrote down something on his sheet and patted him on the shoulder. “Okay, now that we’ve got the blood flowing down there, we’ll loosen up your arms.”

Jim guided him through some ridiculous-looking circular motions with his arms and had him spin his torso a bit. Apparently the purpose was relaxing his arms and core so muscles wouldn’t tear in case of overworking.

“So uh, I’m just gonna start you on a pretty basic weight training regime. Once I figure out what you can do, I’ll tailor something that’ll help the most. But for now, we’ll just stick with a general routine.”

He talked Leo through some basics for machine use, mostly safety-related. Checking weight line alignment; check the weight setting so you don’t hurt yourself; clean them off, always, whether they look like they need it or otherwise; Jim emphasized this one – “don’t skip leg day.” Thus far it all seemed common sense to Leo, though Jim constantly gesticulating with his bare, hairy arms proved quite the distraction.

Jim gestured to a bizarrely shaped machine that looked vaguely like The Thinker. Leo sat down as comfortably as he could – which was not very – on the machine directly next to it. “This is a preacher curl.” The brawny man fiddled with its weight setting pin until it was set much higher than Leo thought appropriate for a starting workout. But then Jim sat down in the machine’s strangely sculpted chair and rested his arms over a padded bridge of sorts, grabbing onto some grips. “Free weights are better for you, but we’re gonna use machines first. They’re safer to start with and I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Leo’s heart warmed at the thought of Jim expressing such concern for his wellbeing, from the weight machines, to his exhaustion from rugby practice, to when he appeared ill.

“So, to use this machine you just…” And that’s the last thing Leo heard. He watched Jim flex to lift the heavy weight, making his biceps bulge. Leo felt dizzy as he watched Jim’s arms work, the thick, powerful muscle easily lifting the heavy weight to demonstrate the machine’s use – and inadvertently giving Leo a softcore erotic show.

The presentation ended far too quickly, and Jim stepped out of the machine. “Okay, your turn.” He patted Leo on the shoulder and guided him into the strange seat, then fiddled with the weights, setting it to the minimum. “We’ll start at the minimum just so you learn the machine, okay?”

Leo cleared his throat and choked out, “Okay.” _Smooth._ He gripped the machine, resting his upper arms on the bridge and lifted the weights. Ten pounds ended up being far too light, but Jim stopped him anyway.

“Wait, your form is off. Hold on.”

Jim corrected his form by way of adjusting Leo’s position – using his hands. Hands moving Leo’s forearms, hands adjusting Leo’s shoulders, hands touching Leo’s biceps, _hands on Leo’s hands._ Leo’s heart ached for Jim to just _hold_ his hands, but it was not to be.

His lack of exercise became evident fairly quickly when Leo’s ability to lift without struggling capped out at an embarrassing thirty pounds. Jim scribbled down some notes and brought him to the next machine.

Throughout the next hour, Jim showed him how to use every machine, and with each one Leo felt a greater pang of want – and a stronger ache of guilt – for his friend as he watched and memorized the movement of Jim’s muscles. He showed Leo the ab crunch machine; the chest fly – and the flex of Jim’s pecs under his shirt; various machines for working the legs – and Jim’s frustratingly muscular thighs and calves; the assisted dip machine – and the manly bulge of his triceps; the bench press – and all the associated muscles working under his shirt; the dumbbell press – and Jim’s infuriatingly broad traps. Leo constantly had to strap his boner against him with the waistband of his shorts to hide it from Jim.

However, he was unable to shake the constant sense of being watched in the cloying establishment. He looked at nearby patrons with suspicion and shame, hoping they weren’t silently judging his lacking build.

By the end of their workout session, Leo was completely drained, sluggish, plagued by a trembling sensation in every part of his body, and in dire need of a shower. He lay down on a bench to recuperate with an arm slung over his eyes, and came to when Jim spoke to him.

“Bones? You okay?”

“Don’ call me that,” Leo grumbled, barely able to lift his head.

“Leonard?” Jim tried.

“Everything’s sore,” he whined before giving a loud groan.

“Nothing a good rub down won’t fix.”

“What?” he asked, moving his arm out of the way.

“A massage, Bones,” Jim said, chuckling and giving Leo a wink.

As much as he’d love for Jim to put those deft hands on him and work until he was a puddle of goo, he didn’t think Jim would appreciate Leo moaning his name. “I’ll be fine, just… take me home, please.”

“But you haven’t showered or changed,” Jim pointed out.

“How astute of you. I’ll do it at home.”

“Well… alright.”

Jim carted Leo out to his car, supporting him the entire way. After waving goodbye to the owner of the gym, he drove back to school.

“We’ll getcha back to your car, quick.”

“No,” Leo mumbled. “Too tired, too dangerous for me to be driving.”

“Uhh, but—”

“I’ll deal with it later,” Leo groaned. “I’m too tired to drive.”

“Okay.”

 

* * *

 

Leo started awake when the engine shut off. He glanced around in confusion, and Jim prodded his shoulder.

“Here we are! Home, sweet home,” Jim said, stepping out and pulling the duffel bag to his side. Leo clambered out of the car, and Jim handed him his clothing. “Here you go.”

Leo gazed through hooded eyes at Jim, still sleepy and not quite aware of his surroundings.

“Leonard, you’re home.”

“Don’ call me that,” Leo mumbled.

“But – oh nevermind.” Jim gently pushed Leo toward the porch, an arm hooked around his shoulder. “Make sure you eat a lot of protein and carbs, and drink plenty of water tonight. You just finished a long workout…”

Leo listened, enraptured, as Jim went on about the process of how the body grew new muscle – conveniently forgetting, of course, to tell him that as a pre-med student, he knew the specifics. “Okay,” he said, only wanting to hear Jim keep talking.

Once at the door, Jim turned to face him. “Hey. You did good, today,” he said, patting Leo’s shoulder in a way Leo swore was affectionate and wished were tender. “Keep at this and you’ll be rugby ready by summer.”

Leo gave him a little grin, and Jim returned it with a toothy smile. “Thanks.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Leo watched Jim leave for his car and drive away, waving to him as he went. He turned to the front door and frowned, letting his head hit the door.

“I’m stupid.”

 

* * *

 

Later, after a big dinner and enough water to make Leo feel like he might start leaking, he was once again in the shower, washing off the sweat and smell of his workout with Jim.

Jim. Jim, whose eyes full of life could someday be full of love. Jim, whose luxurious blond hair shone in the bright sun. Jim, whose soft, masculine fur begged Leo to ghost his hands through it.

The cold tile met Leo’s forehead as he leaned forward to support his weight, furiously stroking his achingly hard cock.

Jim, whose entire body spoke of untold power but had so much potential for gentle tenderness. Jim, whose muscles taunted Leo their entire workout like a siren song to a sailor. Jim, whose manhood—

Leo gasped as his cock throbbed, spurting semen all over the wall and his hand. He worked himself through the orgasm this time, doubling over with pleasure as he squeezed the last of his cum out. Once he finished, he banged his head on the wall until his head hurt, whining quietly.

_Stupid._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly more explicit this time.


	4. Chapter 4

Jim wasn’t in Chemistry. He wasn’t at practice either. Nor was he in Calculus on Wednesday.

Leo tried not to worry, but considering he never paid much attention to Jim in the first place until a few weeks ago, he couldn’t help the seed of worry growing in his chest like a weed.

He let out a sigh of relief when he walked into Chemistry on Thursday and Jim was in his seat next to Leo’s, lightly tapping the cold black tabletop with a loosely clenched fist. When Leo sat next to him, Jim turned to face him, a sunny smile plastered on his stupidly handsome face.

“Hey Bo—Leonard,” he said. He was trying, at least.

“Hey,” Leo said. _How do I approach this?_   “You missed a few classes.”

Leo swore that for ever the briefest moment, Jim’s eye contact faltered and his smile turned down to something darker. “Yeah, I came down with a twenty-four-hour bug. Couldn’t get out of the house.”

“Oh, that’s a shame,” Leo replied. Jim was safe, that was all that mattered. That was more than twenty-four hours, though.

“It’s alright. I got notes and homework and stuff from other classes, so I didn’t miss anything. Can I borrow your notes, though?”

“Of course.” It was the least Leo could do at this point – besides, it might put him in a more favorable light in Jim’s eyes, though he’d do it even as just a friend.

Just a friend.

Leo’s chest tightened with cold disappointment, souring his mood despite knowing Jim was happy and healthy.

He could deal with rejection. He was a big boy.

Chemistry was a decent distraction, a day filled with plenty of calculations to occupy his mind. The rest of the day, however, wended on and proved not to be as great a diversion, and Leo instead daydreamed of his classmate.

 

* * *

 

After Leo helped Chris – that’s what Coach Pike insisted Leo call him – drag out the rugby balls and other miscellaneous equipment, players started showing up. While Chris oversaw the team’s practice drills, Leo busied himself with memorizing the team’s roster.

He was in the middle of quizzing himself on last names paired with the players’ faces when he suddenly found himself surrounded by players there for their water break, clamoring amongst themselves until they had all been served. Half of practice had already come and gone. When the line had dwindled, only Jim remained.

“Hey Bo—Leonard,” Jim said with a grin, as he poured himself some water.

“Hi Jim,” Leo mumbled, letting his misery carry through his pitch more than intended.

“What’s got you lookin’ so down all of a sudden?” Jim asked.

“I’m fine.” Leo hated lying to Jim, but he wouldn’t care about Leo’s unhappiness anyway. That’s what he told himself, to steel his nerves for disappointment when Jim inevitably let him down.

“You don’t look fine. You look like someone kicked your puppy.” Jim ducked to meet Leo’s eyes, only concern visible on his face.

“I’m fine,” Leo insisted, a bit more forcefully.

“Aw, come on, it can’t be all that bad. You’re young, it’s sunny,” Jim gestured behind him to where the ever-present afternoon sun indeed shone down on them, life-giving in moderation, blinding when viewed from the wrong angle. “Plus, it’s starting to warm up!”

“It really isn’t,” Leo grumbled.

Jim dumped water all over himself and began scrubbing with his palms, wiping sweat away from his forehead. His hair spiked up into thick bundles, darkening to an attractive golden blond – chocolate blond? Was that a thing? – as Jim carded his fingers through it and combed out the excess. He gripped the hem of his jersey and pulled it up to dry off his head, his torso now bared to the world.

Leo’s eyes widened and he could not look away from the sight before him; Jim’s body looked as if it could have been sculpted from marble. The dips between his abs practically begged for Leo to run a finger along them, to explore every valley and mountain of muscle. His entire midriff was covered with a devilishly handsome coat of blond fur just as dense as the pelt on his chest. Down the middle ran a thick, golden trail full of promises of pleasurable treasure below the waistband. It all left Leo breathless at the sight of his friend’s sweaty, muscular belly.

The spectacle of masculinity in front of him disappeared all too quickly when Jim let his jersey fall to cover his abs once more. Leo blushed a furious, molten red when Jim gave him a cheeky half-grin.

“Cheer up, Bones,” Jim huffed, gently patting Leo’s shoulder. He finally took a drink, tipping his head back and swallowing the liquid in big gulps, his Adam’s apple working up and down his muscled throat bared for Leo.

Leo bit back a pathetic whine as Jim walked back to the field to continue his practice drills.

Clearly this was evidence against the existence of a merciful god.

 

* * *

 

Lunch period was almost over, and Leo was ready to swap his History and English books for Calculus, but a surprise waited for him when he opened his locker: there, on the top of his neatly stacked books, lay an orange card. Leo picked it up and flipped it to discover a typewritten note.

**_I must confess I find myself lost in thoughts of your handsome eyes, amber like a field of grass seen through aged whiskey_ **

A hot flush spread to Leo’s cheeks and he gasped. He held the note to his chest, hiding it from adjacent students. Someone liked him! They went to the trouble of printing it out on fancy card stock for him and found his locker. The card was even his favorite color.

But…

Maybe it was a joke. He hadn’t been the subject of something quite so cruel as this before, but there was a first time for everything.

Even worse…

It might not be Jim. It was probably not Jim.

The sudden rush of emotion made Leo feel a particular sort of nauseated, equal parts conflicted and lovesick. How dearly he wished it were Jim who had given him the note.

He wasn’t sure which was worse; thinking it was a joke, or thinking it wasn’t Jim.

 

* * *

 

“What’s got you so worked up?”

Jim’s voice pierced through Leo’s ideation of his secret admirer -- overwhelmingly hoped to be him -- and brought him back to AP Calculus and their integration worksheet.

“Huh?” Leo asked, a little sheepish that he’d been caught ideating.

“You keep… zoning out while we’re trying to work. Like you have something else on your mind,” Jim said. One of his eyebrows was slightly raised, looking curiously at Leo. Their other two group members looked considerably less concerned; more irritated.

“Oh… it’s nothing,” Leo mumbled.

 

* * *

 

After Calculus, Jim virtually dragged Leo to his car.

“I spent a good few hours making a workout plan for you; I’m so pumped for this!” Jim exclaimed, practically vibrating with palpable excitement as he walked Leo to his car.

Every day spent with Jim got more and more perplexing; why was he so eager to waste his time with Leo, especially on top of all the hours they spent together in school? Was that something people do for friends? Was it something they do for romantic interests? Leo was never a particularly sociable one, preferring his books over people. Now he was paying the price.

Once seated in his car, Jim turned to him with a huge grin. “I can’t wait to see how well it works,” he said.

“Um, are we going to that gym again?” Leo asked sheepishly.

“Yeah, why?”

“Can we… go to a different one?” Leo averted his gaze; Jim may take that as a personal slight.

“Is it too small?” Jim asked.

Leo looked up at him again, meeting eyes far too blue for his own good that looked at him questioningly. “Yeah… I felt like everyone was watching me the entire time.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. We can go somewhere else if you’d be more comfortable.” Curse Jim for being so sweet.

“If – if it wouldn’t be too much of a problem,” Leo mumbled.

“Yeah, lemme think for a bit.” Jim worried his lip with his teeth as he sat in silence. “There’s a much bigger gym that’s pretty cheap. It’s like twenty bucks a month.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Alright, we’ll head there.”

Leo let out a sigh of relief; that was one concern gone. The drive to the larger gym was shorter, but all the while, Leo’s thoughts constantly turning back to the light orange card from his locker.

Someone had been thoughtful enough to compose him a romantic ditty. That alone elevated Leo’s spirits considerably. However, every time he looked at Jim, a little voice in his head chimed in and said, ‘ _he’d never go for you.’ ‘Of course it’s not Jim.’ ‘What could he see in you? You’re shrimpy and weak.’_

So rather than feel on top of the world as he ought to, instead his pining for Jim intensified by the minute.

 

* * *

 

The sight of rows upon rows of exercise machines in the enormous space immediately put Leo at ease – plenty of room to avoid people if he so desired. After a brief intermission of signing paperwork to finalize their memberships and renting out locker space (Leo was relieved to find they had private changing rooms), Jim ran him through a brief warm up on the exercise bikes. After several minutes of cycling, Jim found a map of the gym and led Leo through the building.

They stopped in a spacious room with blue, cushioned mats lining the floor. One wall was a massive mirror, and along another wall were some cabinets. Jim took off his shoes and padded over to a cabinet before taking out a large, orange rubber ball.

“Okay, so,” he said as he carried the Swiss ball back to Leo. “At the center of a good rugby physique is core stability and strength.” Jim firmly patted the ball; it bounced a bit between his hands and made a hollow thwack noise. “Improving your core stability will help protect your spine and by extension, your lower back. Working with the Swiss ball will also help out your coordination and flexibility.”

Jim set the ball down and sat on it, easily centering himself and maintaining a ramrod straight posture.

“If you want, you can use one instead of a chair, and that will do wonders for your posture as well.” A wiggle of Jim’s hips made the ball roll a bit, and he smiled up to a still-standing Leo. “So, I’m gonna give you eight exercises to do with the ball that should help a lot.”

“What about the weights?”

“We’ll get to those later. These will let you work multiple muscle groups at once, so for now, just lay down on top of the ball.”

Leo furrowed his brow, but complied once Jim gracefully stood up off it. He lay himself over the ball, letting his body mold to the curve.

“Good. Now, what you wanna do is lift your upper body off the ball and spread your arms out like you’re an airplane.”

Leo raised an eyebrow at Jim in bewilderment. “That sounds ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous and really good for your back.” Jim smiled and patted his shoulder. “Come on, I’m the only other person here, and I’m not gonna laugh at you.”

That wasn’t particularly encouraging. Regardless, Leo lifted himself off the ball and strained to maintain the position, the pressure of the ball against his belly threatening to push air out of his lungs.

“Try to hold it for as long as possible, then release.”

While Leo was holding, Jim left to get his own Swiss ball and started doing the exercises himself.

Over the course of the next twenty minutes, Jim walked him through several exercises, all of which were difficult, straining, and goofy-looking. One had him practically playing leapfrog with the ball; another had his heels on the ball, straining to hold his butt off the ground. Yet a third had him passing the ball between his feet and hands while on his back.

Throughout the entire affair, Jim was informative and supportive; not once did he make any judgments about Leo’s capabilities or lack of body tone.

“So, a doctor, huh?” Jim asked in the middle of ball-assisted push-ups.

Leo huffed out a few breaths before steadying himself at the peak of a repetition. “Yeah.”

“Why medicine?”

Leo looked up at Jim, who was effortlessly doing push-ups. He watched a wide array of muscles work as he did so, zeroing in on his upper arms flexing in a tantalizing display of the male physique.

“My dad is a doctor,” he replied between reps.

“Are you doing it for your dad?” Jim asked.

Leo let his body flop onto the ball when the burn in his arms grew too great. “No,” he choked out after a moment of shallow breathing. “He’s a surgeon. I wanna be—”

“A neurosurgeon,” Jim added, voice straining as he neared the end of his repetition set.

“Yeah,” Leo exhaled. Damn Jim for his unending endurance, the guy was _still_ doing push-ups.

“A lot harder to – be a neurosurgeon than a – physician,” Jim said between reps.

“Nothing worth doing is easy,” Leo said, still winded from all their exercises.

Apparently dropping the subject for the time being, Jim stood up and put the Swiss balls away. After toeing back into their shoes, they exited into the main room of the gym again.

“Okay, now for some cardio.” Jim clapped his hands together and gestured to three different machines. “We got the treadmill, the cycles, or the rowing machine. What do you wanna do first?”

They already did some cycling that day, but he thought running looked stupid. “Rowing, I guess.”

Once seated at the rowing machine, Jim took the one next to him. “Okay, so you have four basic positions you’re going to be going through.”

A succinct introduction to the rowing machine prepared Leo for use of the machine, but not for the burn he felt in his body and lungs after he finished five minutes later. He lay on a nearby bench, belly heaving as he gasped in air. Jim sat down next to his head and leaned over to look him in the eye. At least he was just as sweaty as Leo – actually, that didn’t do anything good for Leo’s imagination. He already had enough problems with keeping the image of Jim’s sweaty, furry abs out of his mind.

Jim smiled down at Leo, bright and sincere. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”

“No,” Leo groaned. “Everything burns.”

“That’s how you know it’s workin’!” Jim exclaimed.

He blessedly sat in companionable silence with Leo, allowing him to rest for a time.

“Nothin’ worth doin’ is easy,” he said, suddenly.

“Huh?”

“Workin’ out… bein’ a doctor… why do you wanna be a doctor?” Jim asked, looking Leo in the eye again.

Leo internally squirmed under the scrutiny, like he was being weighed as worthy or not. “I wanna help people,” he said plainly.

Jim shook his head and looked away. “Hell of a path to take.”

“The most competitive path in medical science,” Leo added.

“Shit, man. Good luck.”

Leo nodded, though Jim was looking away. “Thanks.”

 

* * *

 

Over the next half hour, Jim introduced Leo to his new exercise routine designed to improve muscle endurance before muscle strength. Apparently doing a lot of low resistance reps was good conditioning.

Now, however, the they stood in a padded room again.

“More ball work?” Leo cringed after it left his lips – that did not sound entirely clean.

Jim either didn’t notice, or ignored it. “I’m gonna teach you how to defend yourself.”

Leo gaped at him. “You are?”

“Absolutely,” Jim said, smiling at him. “Now, before we get started, we’re going to be doing some sparring as part of this, so I just want you to be aware of that. Some of it is gonna hurt, I can’t avoid that. But I just want you to remember that I’d never hurt you on purpose, okay?”

Jim locked eyes with him, gazing soft and sincere to him. A tiny smile played at his lips, and Leo couldn’t help his heart swell with affection for the man who steadily proved himself to be far sweeter than the rumors suggested.

“Okay,” Leo said.

Jim produced some padded gloves from a nearby cabinet. “Now, the first thing you need to remember is to be aware of your surroundings…”

 

* * *

 

Left—dodge out of the way. Right—dodge again. Straight punch left—Jim blocked it. Go for the— _ow!_

Jim landed a blow to Leo’s side, throwing him off balance. He fell on his butt and Jim dove forward, pressing him to the floor, pinning him with an arm braced just below his neck. “You left your side open,” he exhaled.

Leo looked up at the man crowding into his personal space as he panted and smiled down at Leo. He looked into Jim’s beautiful blue eyes. His gaze drifted upward and he watched sweat trickle down the young man’s forehead. Jim was flushed from exertion, and his breaths puffed over Leo’s face. The fist bracing him to the floor loosened to splay over his shoulder, patting him gently.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Leo said, breathless – both from the work out and the handsome man caging him to the floor. _Don’t think about how good it feels to be so close to him, Leo. Don’t think about it._

Jim clambered off and held out a hand for him. He gladly took it and was pulled to his feet. Oh, how Leo had wished to hold Jim’s hand, though not quite like this. The glove was in the way. Once vertical, Jim squeezed and let go, his arms falling to his sides. “Good workout?” Jim huffed, his chest heaving.

“Yeah,” Leo answered. “Good workout.”

 

* * *

 

That evening, long after Leo’s shower, during which he once again came with Jim in his thoughts and his name upon his lips, he lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling in the darkness.

Leo was well on his way for a colossal heartbreak.

Problem the first: Jim was unfairly attractive.

Problem the second: Jim was proving to be far smarter than Leo had expected.

Problem the third: Jim had somehow cemented himself as Leo’s friend, seemingly whether Leo wanted it or not.

Problem the fourth: Jim continued to present himself to Leo in manners that exacerbated every want he had for him.

Problem the fifth: Leo had a secret admirer that may or may not be a joke.

Problem the sixth: Leo hoped beyond hope that his secret admirer was Jim.

So the ultimate question of Leo’s predicament was: How would Leo ask Jim if he’s into other guys without implying Leo’s the one interested in him?

He rolled over and whined in misery, hugging one of his pillows to his chest like a pining teenager from many a novel. Leo supposed now, as his chest ached with yearning, that he had a much better reference point for the feeling.


	5. Chapter 5

It was already the third week of February, and yet Leo felt like it might as well still be January, what with how slow his days seemed to go. Yes, they were busy days – three classes a day, he had practice every other day and workouts with Jim when he didn’t – but they also wended on. He frequently found his thoughts occupied by a certain blond figure sculpted by Michelangelo’s chisel.

Near the end of Calculus on Tuesday, as the class wound down, his mind inevitably turned toward the man sitting adjacent to him.

“Hey,” the man in question said. “So I was thinking…”

_Great_.

“Do you want to study together?”

Leo glanced sideways to stare at him. “You want to study together?”

“Sure! Why not?” He smiled wide at Leo, genuine and soft.

Since when did Jim Kirk study? Maybe he just wanted to copy off Leo’s notes – get him attached, get him friendly, then move in for the kill.

“I dunno, I’ll have to think about it,” Leo feigned. _Let’s see just how bad Jim wants this._

“How are your Wednesdays?” he asked.

“Well, I tutor math every Wednesday.”

“When?”

“Right after school lets out.”

Jim scratched his chin. “That’ll have to be rescheduled once games start. Mondays?”

“Piano tutor’s coming back from vacation.”

“Fridays…?” Jim’s smile had been replaced with a sad frown and puppy dog eyes.

Curse his infatuation.

Leo took out his schedule planner and flipped between weeks, faking inspection of his ‘busy’ schedule. He glanced up at Jim, eyebrow raised, to see him waiting with bated breath. “Fridays would be fine,” he said, making a show of reluctant acquiescence.

Jim grinned and released his breath. “Really?”

“Pretty sure,” Leo replied. “Although…”

A pregnant pause later, Jim asked, “Although…?”

“I guess I could do Wednesdays too,” Leo admitted. It’s true, though – his evenings were mostly free, aside from assignments for other courses.

The smile returned. Damn that vexing smile. “Okay! Um, does this Wednesday work…?”

Maybe Jim will wear that deep V neck shirt that showed off his beautiful golden chest hair again. “It should. Maybe an hour after my tutoring is done?”

“Do you wanna go to the gym on Wednesdays, too?”

Unbelievable. “Wednesdays, _too?_ How do you work out every day of the week?”

“Different routines train different things.”

Well. There really wasn’t any reason not to, other than Leo exhausting himself and collapsing into a dead heap of skin, bones **,** and heartache. He let out a sigh and eventually gave in, if only to see Jim in shorts and a loose shirt again more often. “Okay.”

“Alright! So an hour after workout’s over. Is your place okay?”

_Of course._ “Of course.”

 

* * *

 

Leo had another note waiting for him after lunch the next day, this time on goldenrod.

**_Time and time again, I think of you and how it would feel to embrace you in my arms_ **

Leo bit back a whimper; this particular verse was much more romantic than the last. He carefully hid it in his inner coat pocket, and hoped to his mother’s God that it was from Jim.

 

* * *

 

At four PM sharp, the doorbell rang. There was only one guess as to who was at the door, and it certainly wasn’t one of his parents. When Leo opened the door, letting in a gust of cold, sharp air, Jim stood on the doorstep, bundled up for the cold Iowa winter. He waved to him, greeting Leo with a goofy smile.

“Hey, study buddy,” he said, laughing at his silly rhyme.

With a roll of his eyes and a sweep of his arm, Leo beckoned Jim in. “Come on in, leave your boots at the door, please.” Although he rolled his eyes at Jim’s childish humor, when he turned his back to Jim as he led him from the foyer and through the hallway, Leo broke into a smitten grin.

Following close behind, Jim hefted his backpack with him and unceremoniously dropped it next to Leo’s table. Leo turned to face him and—

Damn it, Jim. He wore the deep V neck shirt that showed off his beautiful golden chest hair again. Leo regretted his earlier wish.

While Jim set about preparing his notes and homework, Leo started toward the kitchen. “Wait right here.”

Once in the kitchen, Leo picked up a tray carrying a glass of sweet tea and a small serving of peach cobbler that he’d made just for Jim. He held a hand over it – still gently steaming. Carefully, he brought the tray to his room and set it down next to Jim’s textbook.

“I already ate, but I thought you might be hungry.”

Jim’s eyes widened in surprise at the treat laid out for him. “Really? Dude!” Jim stared for a moment at the delicate crust lightly glazed with sugar before grabbing the spoon and digging in. He brought a scoop to his lips and bit into the pastry. Leo held his breath in anticipation, and was justly rewarded when the object of his affections let out a loud, satisfied moan.

“Oh my _god,_ this is delicious,” he said, enunciation faltering from his occupied tongue.

Were it not inappropriate, Leo would have whooped with joy at Jim’s delightful reaction. But considering how absolutely inappropriate the sounds coming from Jim were, maybe a whoop or two wouldn’t have been totally out of place. Instead, he bit his finger to hold back an ecstatic smile. Jim not only liked his peach cobbler, he _loved_ it.

The sudden surge of longing for the man currently munching on his family-favorite recipe nearly knocked the wind out of poor Leo. He tamped down the ache as best he could and sat down in front of his own notes.

“So, do you want to star—”

Another loud moan from Jim. “Oh god, _Leonard_.” _Please don’t say my name like that again._ “Who _made_ this? I could literally kiss them.”

Another powerful pang of want. “It’s… an old family recipe.” Two lies: one, it certainly wasn’t old; two, it was Leo’s recipe. “So, calculus or chemistry?”

“How’s calculus?” Jim mumbled around a bite of cobbler. “I haven’t started at all.”

“Calculus is fine.”. He started on their assigned integral applications work, even while Jim continued eating.

“This sweet tea is to die for,” Jim said, after a particularly deep drink that made his Adam’s apple bob.

Leo smiled to himself; he had made the sweet tea too. His eyes involuntarily drew down to the V neck. It looked like… had Jim _groomed_ his chest hair? It had a particular shine and volume to it that led Leo to believe he had been conditioning it, and it seemed purposefully fluffed into handsome curls. What was the point in that…? If the point was to make Leo want to nuzzle his chest and never leave, mission accomplished.

“Is that Evelyn Waugh?”

Leo’s gaze flicked up from his friend’s chest to his face, only to see Jim looking at his bookshelf.

“ _Vile Bodies_. That’s Waugh,” Jim stated.

“Uh, yeah. I finished it a few weeks ago. Why?”

“Isn’t it a great subversion of all the romcom being cranked out by Hollywood?” Jim asked, looking to Leo much different than a simple rugby player now.

“Kinda hard to subvert something a century its junior, but… yeah. Yeah, I thought of it as a big metaphor for karma.” Leo said.

Jim lit up like a Christmas tree. “I never thought of it like that. I thought it was more of a poetic justice sort of novel in the form of a stabbing criticism of mid-war British aristocracy.”

Leo smiled at Jim. Jim gaped at him, his grin widening bit by bit, until excitement got the better of him.

“It’s such a subtly dark novel, so I have to ask: favorite macabre moment?”

Leo had to think about that one. “You’re really gonna make me pick?” His answer was an enthusiastic nod. Jim’s smile was painfully beautiful, tearing at Leo’s heartstrings like a lute. “Agatha’s death, or less grim, Adam not getting the girl.”

“Mine was Simon’s suicide,” Jim said.

“Really…?” Leo allowed far too much awe to carry into his voice.

“‘ _At first he held his breath. Then he thought that was silly and gave a sniff. The sniff made him cough, and coughing made him breathe, and breathing made him feel very ill; but soon he fell into a coma and presently died_ ,’” Jim quoted in a charming British accent.

“‘ _Then Adam became Mr. Chatterbox,_ ’” Leo supplied, faking the accent as best he could, but some Southern drawl leaked in anyway. “How’d you memorize that?”

Jim chuckled happily, his eyes lighting up with glee. “Don’t ask. But isn’t it so great how Waugh just… relentlessly rips away any shred of happiness the characters get their greedy hands on?” Jim said, pantomiming ripping pages out of his textbook.

“I know! He’s so… _evil_ with his characters. And so many of the deaths mean _nothing_ to him.” _Finally_ someone Leo could talk to about his books. “Simon was practically an afterthought!”

“I liked it a lot more than _The Great Gatsby_ , even though they were sort of similar; same period, different country. What about you?

“You’ve read _The Great Gatsby_?”

“Seventh grade.” Jim let out a scoff and rolled his eyes in mock pretentiousness. “Come on, I’m not some uncultured heathen. _Everyone_ worth talking to has read _The Great Gatsby_.”

“Uncultured heathen?” Leo exclaimed, holding a hand over his heart. “You’re too mean!”

Leo’s problem just worsened tenfold.

 

* * *

 

Talk of _Vile Bodies_ became talk about the other books on Leo’s shelf, became laughing at jokes about books, and pretty soon Leo had spent an hour talking with Jim. Every second only exacerbated his affections; not only was Jim handsome, but he loved to read, and he _loved_ to talk about it. Worse yet, he made delightfully esoteric jokes and laughed at Leo’s quips.

Leo was quite well and gone for him.

After too long ignoring it, they had finally returned to calculus homework when Leo’s mother knocked on his door and stepped in to speak to him.

“Leonard! Supper’ll be ready in half an hour. Oh! Your charming friend’s back.”

“Good evening, ma’am,” Jim said, ever the gentlemen around Leo’s parents.

“We should have enough for four if you’d care to join us.”

Dinner with Jim. Perfect.

Jim shrunk sheepishly with a grin. “Aww, I don’t wanna impose…”

“Nonsense! My mama would be so ashamed a’ me if I let you leave without some of my honey-glazed ham.” Eleanora departed without allowing Jim or Leo to get a word in.

Leo met Jim’s gaze and shrugged. “I guess you’re staying for dinner. Will your parents mind?”

“Uh… well, um…” Jim nervously scratched his neck – his good mood seemed to have faltered. “Mom is never home, and Frank is out of town, so…”

“Oh,” Leo murmured, now decidedly uncomfortable. Had he hit a sore spot?

They continued working in awkward silence until Eleanora called them for dinner.

Jim followed Leo to the kitchen. At the sight of them, David immediately took Jim by the shoulders. “Come now, let’s have Leonard’s guest of honor sit at the head.” David sat him at the head of the table, Leo next to him. While Leo’s parents busied themselves with noisily setting the table, Jim nudged Leo’s knee.

“Guest of honor?” Leo chuckled.

“Is this how I meet the parents?” Jim whispered, throwing Leo a wink. Leo just frowned down at the plate David set in front of him, trying to hide a blush.

Once dinner commenced and Eleanora served everyone mashed potatoes, steamed greens, and honey-glazed ham, Leo noticed Jim wolfing down his food with a ravenous ferocity he’d not seen in his seventeen years. He also noticed Jim’s tongue every time it stretched out ever so slightly for his food, or every lick at his lips to recover every tiny morsel of meat. The young man quickly cleaned his plate off and then sat in silence, twiddling his thumbs.

“Jim? Would you like some more?” Leo asked hesitantly.

“Um… if you wouldn’t mind? I don’t often get cooking this good…” He once again looked downtrodden; if his mother was never home, and ‘Frank’ wasn’t either…

Leo took Jim’s plate and reached across the table to slice a generous portion of ham for him. Jim met his eyes and smiled softly. “Thank you,” he mumbled. He once again dug eagerly into his meal.

“He plays rugby,” Leo offered, by way of explanation for Jim’s appetite.

Eleanora raked her eyes up and down Jim, appraising his rugged appearance. “I can tell,” she murmured.

Leo gaped in horror and mouthed _Mama_ to her. She shrugged innocently, and returned to her own meal.

“So, Jim, how d’ya know my son?”

 

* * *

 

After an awkward dinner with his parents (made more awkward by Eleanora taking every opportunity to compliment Jim’s figure) they returned to homework, but while Jim talked to him about hydrates, Leo stared at his lips as he spoke.

Although he vaguely registered that Jim was speaking to him, it was certainly his soft lips that maintained a grip on Leo’s attention.

_‘I could literally kiss them.’_

Was Jim aware of just how _mesmerizing_ his lips were? Quite often his tongue would poke out and swipe over them, leaving behind a reflective sheen. They were a light pink color, just the right shade to be tantalizing, yet subtle. And _so plush_ , too. Oh, to be given the chance to cup Jim’s stubbled jaw, gaze deep into his gorgeous blue eyes and—

“Bones! – Leonard, sorry. Do you know where thirteen D is getting that constant from?”

Leo shook his head, clearing away thoughts of tenderly kissing his best friend.

“Uh… no, we’re not supposed to do thirteen D,” Leo mumbled, furrowing his brow.

“Oh, alright. Moving on, then,” he said, apparently oblivious to Leo’s distraction.

 

* * *

 

Rather than pleasure himself in the shower to visions of Jim, Leo’s thoughts turned to the question of his home situation.

Jim looked haunted when Leo asked about his parents. Why had he reacted like that? Dinner had been quite eye-opening, as well. With the speed and gratefulness with which he had consumed his meal, it was as if he hadn’t eaten in days! How did he maintain a healthy figure?

The memory of Jim missing school came to mind; Leo swore he had briefly seen a moment of distance – a deadness to Jim’s gaze. Was it related? He said he came down with a brief illness, though. Not wanting to dwell, Leo shook himself from the memory.

Try as he might to distract himself, Leo’s heart overflowed with concern and care for Jim Kirk.

 

* * *

 

On Friday, on their way out from the gym, Jim chattered on about their upcoming project for Chemistry and his ideas for it, when Leo interjected.

“Hey, what about studying at your place today?”

Jim froze in place and looked off into the distance. Leo’s eyes widened and he shrunk away, hoping he hadn’t crossed a line.

“Um,” Jim mumbled. He paused for a bit, making Leo rather nervous. He didn’t want to pressure the poor guy, just—

Why _did_ Leo want to study at Jim’s house?

“I guess…?” Jim answered.

“We don’t… have to?” Leo added, hoping to undo the train wreck of a conversation.

“No, I mean – it’s – yeah we can do that.” Jim’s reluctance made an anxious tension grip his heart.

Jim supplied his address and dropped Leo off at school to pick up his truck.

 

* * *

 

After a shower, a meal, and a lot of second guessing himself, Leo arrived at Jim’s house. It was a rather run-down, single-story locale in one of the worse parts of town. The white paint was peeling, the gutters needed cleaning, the roof looked in disrepair, and the flowerbeds were bare of anything besides iris tubers.

Leo’s unease returned as he approached the front door – fairly nice, decorative, coated in a layer of dark red paint – and rang the bell. After a moment, footsteps carried through the house and the door swung open.

Jim sheepishly shifted from foot to foot. “Uh… hi,” he said, before beckoning Leo inside.

Leo kicked off his shoes at the front door and hung up his coat before glancing around. They were in a sparsely decorated hallway. The poor lighting and light orange paint combined to make the hallway much less inviting than Leo would hope a foyer would be. On the left was a small, dingy looking kitchen with stains on the oven, cracked linoleum flooring, and a small pile of dirty dishes. On the right, a den. An old television sat before a puffy couch and coffee table covered in old magazines.

Jim somehow seemed smaller as he led Leo through his home – Leo was loathe to use the word home for an abode that didn’t particularly feel lived in – quickly reaching his room. Leo noticed the deadbolt and tumble lock on his door; his concern made a resurgence – why would he need a _deadbolt_? In his own home?

His room was substantially more decorated than the rest of the house. Star charts rather than sport stars covered the walls; a large shelf full of books took up nearly half of a wall; strangely, some framed photos of famous buildings littered the room, all of them clearly labeled.

Habitat 67, the Calakmul Building, Manchester Civil Justice Center, Seattle Public Library, Ryugyong Hotel, the Nord LB building, Burj Khalifa, Hörsaalgebäude – why did Jim have so many eccentric pictures in his room? Leo approached one in particular, a building that looked like a melting Leaning Tower of Pisa.

“Oh! Do you like that one?” Jim said, approaching Leo and pointed at the poster. ‘ _The Dancing Building, Prague_.’ “Isn’t it cool? It looks like a woman dancing.” Jim began swaying, seductively moving his hips back and forth. Leo inwardly sighed; he was convinced Jim preferred women and this was yet more evidence.

“Uh, yeah, they’re all really cool.” Of all of them, Leo liked the Nord LB, the Civil Justice Center, and the Burj Tower the most.

“I think the Burj Khalifa is my favorite. The base of the tower’s Y shape helps keep its core shape, but the irregular design of the upper floors helps to reduce wind resistance.” Jim kept rattling off more facts about the tower, growing more excited as he went. Leo couldn’t help but just watch Jim light up over the tallest building in the world; he looked absolutely beautiful, his smile wide and his eyes bright and friendly.

A dull pain gripped Leo’s heart as every reason he’d never be Jim’s started circulating the forefront of his mind.

_He could have anyone he wanted, why you? What have you got to offer him? You’re small and nerdy, your body is ugly, your—_

“Hey buddy? You okay?” Jim said, gently patting Leo’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m just thinkin’.”

Jim’s lips turned down into a small frown. “Okay. So, calculus exam…”

 

* * *

 

All in all, Jim’s house wasn’t anywhere as uncomfortable to be in than Jim had led Leo to believe. His room betrayed the stereotypes Leo once ascribed to him – a fact which he still felt guilty for – and although the rest of his house was… minimalist, it wasn’t as foreboding as Jim’s hesitation had suggested.

However, Leo felt nature’s call and stood up, shaking his legs out to get the blood flowing. “Where’s the bathroom?” he asked.

Jim, still looking at his notes, mumbled “to the right down the hall, first door.”

The plain hallway ended in three doors, one on each wall.

“Jim? Which one?” Leo called.

“Left! Don’t go in the right one!” came Jim’s reply, echoing down the hall.

The bathroom wasn’t anything particularly interesting; face cleansers, deodorants, concealer, care products for contact lenses. Among them was a pair of thick, black, horn-rimmed glasses that seemed to be ripped straight out of the lifeless hands of a Cold War prototypic American man. They must be Frank’s – Jim didn’t seem the type to be caught dead wearing something as dorky as these.

He laughed to himself and went about his business before returning to Jim’s room, only to find Jim worrying a fingernail in the center of the room.

“Hey, um… this is really abrupt, but I gotta call it here.” His voice wavered a bit, and he anxiously tapped one of his feet.

“Everything all right?” Leo asked.

“Um, yeah, I just… remembered something I need to do tonight. Sorry for dragging you out here.” Jim averted his gaze.

“Oh, that’s okay.” Jim’s odd behavior did not allay Leo’s concern at all.

“Sorry,” Jim repeated, cringing and scratching the back of his neck.

“No need to apologize, it happens.” After Leo collected his things, Jim showed him out to the front hall.

“I’ll see you at practice tomorrow, alright?”

“Okay, see you there.” Leo waved goodbye and waited until he heard the telltale click of the lock being drawn before clambering into his frigid car and driving home in the late afternoon dusk.

 

* * *

 

Jim was not at practice on Saturday.

 

* * *

 

Leo poked his belly; it didn’t feel particularly firm, and there was still an unattractive layer of fat, the sight of which made him frown in distaste. The hair on his stomach did not do anything to improve his self-esteem; the trail down his middle was nowhere near as thick as Jim’s, it had barely spread sideways, and his chest hair was thinly spread.

Of all the words Leo could use to describe himself, ‘unsightly’ was one. ‘Ugly’ was another. ‘Pudgy’ was a great one.

‘Handsome’ and ‘fit’ – like Jim – could not be further from accurate adjectives for Leo.

As he shaved the uneven stubble around his chin and jaw, he tried not to look down at the body that constantly vexed him. When he finished, he tried to tame his messy brown hair – a task that usually proved fruitless – and ultimately failed. The brown strands defied his comb, and any attempt at gluing it together with water went unheeded.

After washing his face, he sighed at the sight of his body again. He thought of popular, athletic, dapper, masculine Jim Kirk and was disheartened by his own unattractive form, feeling in every way inferior to the other man.

How could Jim ever want him?

At least they were starting strength training this week.

 

* * *

 

**_The future seems so clear, as long as I can stand beside you._ **

Leo stuffed the mint green note in his coat pocket with the others, keeping them as close to his heart as he could.

 

* * *

 

Hook left—dodged. Jab right—hit his shoulder. Jim flinched a bit. Incoming left—blocked. Go for the side—got him! Incoming right—dodged. Go for his chest—blocked. Why was he surrendering?

“Jeez, Leonard, you’re getting good at this,” Jim panted. He wiped sweat away from his red-flushed face and shook his hands free of it.

“Don’t call me that,” Leo wheezed, still gulping down air as his lungs and body burned.

His friend gaped incredulously at him, intensely confused at _something_ , apparently. Maybe he’d underestimated how quickly Leo learned; the self-defense teaching regime he’d developed was more effective than he’d thought, and Leo’s muscle memory had him matching Jim blow for blow.

“Okay,” Jim huffed. “Five minute break.” He sat down against the mirrored wall, letting his head fall against it.

Leo just laid himself out on his back on the floor mat, willing his heart rate to slow down. He brought an arm up to shield his eyes from the bright fluorescent bulbs casting light down on his tired body, and his world narrowed to the sound of heavy breathing and the burn in his chest.

After a few minutes, he heard the telltale sticking noise of feet moving on the padded floor, only for it to stop at his side.

“Come on, gimme a run for my money,” Jim said.

Leo cracked his eyes open and peered up to see Jim offering a hand. He grasped the other man’s palm to be pulled into a standing position. A nod, a smirk, and Jim took a defensive posture. Leo mirrored him, and again they began their dance.

Jab left—dodged. Hook right—dodged. Hook left—dodged. Right uppercut—blocked. Maybe skip those, don’t want to hurt him. Incoming low blow—blocked. Knee at his thigh—blocked. Incoming for the side—blocked. Getting tired—incoming for shoulder—ow!

The world spun beneath him, and managed to throw his hands out and catch his weight. He landed roughly on the blue padding, and Jim knelt beside him, resting a hand on Leo’s shoulder.

“That looked like it hurt – you okay, bro?”

“’Bro?’” Leo huffed. “Barely hurt at all.”

“Okay. Good,” Jim said between breaths. “Again?”

“Just a few more,” Leo answered. As much as he was beginning to enjoy sparring with Jim, it was murder on his body, especially after—

What was Jim doing? He had his arms crossed over in front of him, the hem of his shirt gripped tight and he—

_Oh no._

Time slowed as Jim peeled his shirt off as if he were unwrapping a gift for Leo, revealing his well-muscled back. The muscles around his shoulder blades worked as he balled up his shirt and tossed it toward their shoes. He shook out his arms, showing off just how broad his shoulders were. When he turned around, the sight of Jim’s chest in full display punched the air out of Leo’s chest. He approached Leo with his hands on his hips, showing off his bulky pecs, every square inch coated with soft blond fur. Leo couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering over the expanse of sweaty flesh, taking in the sight of his wide, defined frame. He gazed down the thicker trail starting at his solar plexus and ending at his waistband, only to draw upward over his cut abdomen and back over for a glance at Jim’s nipples. His entire body glistened in the light from sweat, and Leo was overcome with the urge to tackle Jim and _lick._

If there were a word to describe how sexually frustrated Leo was at that moment, it had not been invented yet. He didn’t know _how_ , he just _wanted_.

“You ready?” Jim asked.

“Yes!” he exclaimed. “No,” he corrected.

“Okay,” Jim said lowly, hopefully not suspicious of Leo memorizing the look of his best friend’s body, laid bare just for him.

_It’s_ not _just for you, he’s just overheating. He’d never go for you._

“Okay,” Leo said, voice cracking as he hid his sudden pang of depression. He took up a defensive stance that Jim mirrored, and then made the first jab.

Jab left—missed. Jab right—missed. Hook left—distracted by Jim’s pecs perfectly layered in fur. Smack! Right in Leo’s shoulder.

He staggered back before catching his balance. “I think,” Leo exhaled, “I think I’m done for today.” He shook his head and started back toward their shoes, anything to get Jim’s body out of his eyeline.

While stuffing his feet in his shoes, Jim approached his side, thankfully now wearing his shirt. He played at his lip with a thumb, thinking to himself. “Alright,” was all he said.

Did he sound disappointed?

 

* * *

 

It was now half past five; Jim was late.

Jim was never late for their study sessions; not this late on a Friday.

Leo had been contemplating texting him to ask if he was okay, but hesitated; he neither wanted to seem overly concerned, nor did he want to risk Jim getting distracted while driving if he were.

He’d nearly resigned himself to studying alone when the doorbell rang, echoing through the house like a clarion call. Leo heard his mother let Jim in and usher him to Leo’s room, making small talk. Eleanora promised dinner soon, then returned to the living room to continue watching her show.

A knock at the door, and Jim stepped in. “Sorry I’m late,” he said, sounding harried.

Leo kept looking at his work, attempting to play cool. “It’s okay. Is everything all—”

When Leo looked over, he met the sight of Jim wearing a red and black flannel over a black cardigan and an infuriatingly low-cut white tee, dark jeans, and the thick glasses Leo saw in his bathroom last week.

Jim seemed unperturbed by Leo’s pause, and kept explaining himself. “I lost one of my contact lenses and my prescription is out until Sunday, and I didn’t just wanna leave you hanging, so…” He shrugged with one hand. “Here I am!”

“It’s – it’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Leo replied in a lame, distracted tone. He openly stared at Jim’s attire, confounded that he could wear something so… _nerdy_.

“Normally I wouldn’t be caught dead in public with these on.” Strange how Leo had thought the exact same thing. “They’re so ugly.”

Now that Jim sat in front of him wearing them, Leo couldn’t disagree more. His friend was the epitome of endearing; his rich blond hair was tousled, his stubble thick, and his dresswear made him look like a lumberjack. The glasses were just icing on the cake, making him look even more well-read and intellectual than Leo knew he already was. “No, they look – they look good,” Leo insisted. _Oh god, I’m so stupid._

Jim stared at him – _stupid_ – before breaking into a small grin and averting his gaze toward the table. He laughed sheepishly and Leo noticed a bright flush spread over his face. “I – they don’t – okay,” he fumbled.

_Not so stupid…?_

Their studying proceeded normally, though every time Leo looked over, he caught Jim looking back with a soft smile that filled Leo’s chest with warmth.

 

* * *

 

After dinner (which Eleanora had insisted Jim stay for), there wasn’t much homework left to do.

“Are you… doing anything else this evening?” Jim asked, maybe shy from from Leo’s earlier derring do.

“No. Do you, uh… do you wanna watch a movie or something?” Leo asked, internally cringing over how awkward he sounded.

“Um… sure.”

“Do you… have any preferences?”

“Well… I’m not that big on Hollywood’s more recent stuff… can I have a looksee?”

After perusing his family library, Jim selected a spy movie – one that had very little espionage and far more explosions than one would recommend on a covert operation – and they sat down on the loveseat in front of Leo’s television.

Jim’s presence at his side felt like a constant, light burn. It would be so easy to just lean into Jim, cuddle into him and—

Jim stretched, yawned, and reached an arm around Leo, grasping the frame of the loveseat.

He must be toying with Leo; no way was that accidental – or was it? It must be a platonic thing – it had to be, given how tightly-knit his group of friends on the rugby team was.

Although Leo typically found this movie entertainingly campy, his ache for Jim’s affections consumed his attention and his mood worsened by the minute. Every so often he felt a muscular arm brush against his back and wished dearly for it to curl around his side and gently hug him.

When the credits rolled, Jim withdrew his arm and checked the time on his phone. “Shit, I gotta go,” he said hurriedly. “That went longer than I thought.”

“Okay,” Leo croaked as he watched Jim collect his belongings. He handed Jim his calculator, notebook, and other items until Jim rushed out into the hallway and yelled his goodbye.

When he heard the front door slam shut, Leo sat back down on the loveseat and slumped over to lay where Jim had been sitting, wishing deeply for Jim to alleviate his heartache.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See end of chapter for notice of potentially discomforting material. Please note this notice is a spoiler.

Strangely enough, Leo looked forward to Mondays.

Most high schoolers abhorred Mondays as the end of free time; with three classes a day for six-odd hours of school and the resumption of homework distribution, it served only to douse the sunny mood of many a student looking only to live their life.

For Leo it now meant seeing Jim again after a long weekend, despite Jim ripping out Leo’s heart with every smile or dorky joke – or worse, a less-than-subtle jesting flirt directed his way. That was to say nothing of their now tri-weekly workout sessions, during which Jim seemed to make it a point to show off every muscle he had. That also spoke nothing to the thrice-a-week rugby practices.

Six days a week. Six days a week Leo saw Jim sweaty, flushed, and in clothing far too revealing to be good for Leo’s health.

There was another reason he looked forward to Mondays: the prospect of discovering a new note from his hopefully-Jim secret admirer.

However, that was not what he found that Monday.

Instead as he approached his locker, he noticed students congregating in a semi-circle around it. Once closer, a rancid odor overpowered him with the urge to vomit. Streaked down the front starting at the ventilation slats was a slurp of what looked like soured chocolate pudding.

Covering his mouth and nose with his coat sleeve, he fiddled with the lock until he could pull the door open, only to see what appeared to be several cups of brown pudding coating his books, numerous bugs flying around it.

A chorus of disgust erupted from nearby students, and Leo slammed the locker shut again. There was absolutely no way his books weren’t ruined. History, Morality, numerous English novels – all destroyed by spoiled desserts and insect infestation. The only ones safe were Calculus and Spanish, as they had been with him over the weekend.

And yet, on the way to the main office to report the incident, the only thing he could think of was whether a note had been ruined as well.

 

* * *

 

“Hey buddy!” Jim said as Leo sat down in Chemistry. “What’s—” Was his dejection that obvious? Jim’s smile immediately inverted, brow furrowed in concern. “What’s wrong?”

Leo plopped his backpack on the table started pulling out his Chemistry bo—it was in his locker. He forgot it at school last week.

“What’s wrong?” Jim asked again, patting Leo’s shoulder to get his attention.

Leo buried his face in his hands and shook his head. “Someone stuffed pudding in my locker,” he murmured. “All of my books are ruined, except for two.”

“What?” Jim roared, startling nearby students and the teacher. Leo glanced over and witnessed a truly terrifying sight: two hundred twenty pounds of livid blond muscle apparently fiercely protective of Leo – a fact that filled him with potentially unwarranted pride. “Who did it?”

“I don’t know how they even got it in the locker in the first place, what with the vents facing down. You expect me to know who did it?”

Jim groaned in frustration and pounded the table with a fist, further disturbing adjacent students.

“Jim, please. Inside voice,” Mrs. Masters said.

While Jim’s fervent desire for vengeance warmed Leo’s heart, the inconvenience of his lost textbooks was still at the forefront of his mind.

“Look… I don’t have my chemistry book anymore, and the main office said I have to pay to replace it, but I—”

“Why? It wasn’t even your fault!” Hopefully Jim would calm down before class started, or they may find detention slips in their future.

“Mr. Kirk!” Mrs. Masters hollered. “I would thank you to not make such a ruckus during class!”

Jim cringed and shrunk in on himself. “Sorry… I’ll keep it down.”

“I don’t know, administration doesn’t accommodate a lot of things. I guess this is just another one. Either way, I don’t have that kind of money, so… I’m without a textbook for most of my classes. Can I bum off yours?”

“Of course you can! I mean, how much have you done for me?”

Well, that was one textbook taken care of.

“Okay,” Leo said, looking at Jim with as much gratefulness as he could muster. “Thank you.”

“Of course, man.”

 

* * *

 

Over the rest of the week, Jim was noticeably distant; he seemed constantly distracted and fidgeted often. He must have had a lot on his mind.

He frequently made mistakes during practice, to the point that Chris took him aside to talk to him. Leo hated eavesdropping, but his concern drove him to try – with no luck. Their study sessions lacked in productivity, and Leo had to get Jim’s focus back on their homework every so often, and even then he still had to ask Leo to repeat himself.

On Saturday, Leo finally decided enough was enough. Water break would be his opportunity to speak to Jim.

Or it was supposed to be, until Chris took him aside to discuss a new team formation. By the time they finished, the team’s thirty second break ended and Jim went back to poorly attempting a 3v2 drill.

Dammit, Chris.

When practice ended, Jim rushed off to the locker rooms to change, giving Leo no opportunity to speak to him. By the time he finished bringing in all the equipment, Jim had already left.

What was going on?

 

* * *

 

A knocking noise awoke Leo. He groaned and clambered for the lamp in the darkness, only to groan even more when it blinded him.

“God… what time is it?” A glanced at the clock – a little after midnight. What the hell was that noise?

Another knock at his window grabbed his attention and he pulled himself out of bed, rubbing at his eyes. He plodded over to the window and pulled open the shade, but he started at the sight of a figure standing in the snow. He thought he saw a glint of blond hair reflecting the light streaming outside.

Jim?

Leo pulled open the window (knowing full well this was a common burglar luring tactic) and the figure meekly approached until Leo could see who it was.

“Jim? What are y’doin’ here?” Leo asked incredulously, sleep thickening his accent. “Do ya have any idea what time it is?”

Jim shook his head and drew closer. Leo gasped when he was close enough.

“Oh my god, what happened?”

Jim had dried blood streaked down from his nose. The sight of him injured tore at Leo’s heartstrings.

“Can I come in?” he asked, nose congested from congealed blood.

“Of course.” Leo offered a hand to help Jim, who clambered in and nearly toppled over once inside. Leo offered his shoulder to stabilize him, then led him into the bathroom. Thank god he wore his pajama top that night.

He settled Jim on the toilet seat and took a closer look at his injuries. In addition to the bloody nose, he had a black eye and a split lip.

“Jesus, Jim. What happened?” Leo asked, hands on his arms in an attempt to comfort him.

Jim remained silent for a moment while Leo ran the water to warm it. “I fell down the stairs.”

“You think I don’t know that’s the most overused excuse in the book?”

Silence again while Leo got his medical supplies. “And I hit a doorknob.”

“So how ‘bout the nose and split lip?” Leo asked.

No response. Jim avoided eye contact as Leo gently wiped blood away from his face. A lot had dried in his stubble that already resisted the cloth. Every drag on his skin made a scratching sound.

“Jim?” His evasiveness did nothing to allay his concerns, and Leo grew more anxious with each passing second. “What happened?”

“I fell down some stairs, okay?” Jim insisted, a tightness to his voice.

“Then why are you here at _midnight?_ ” Leo sighed and rinsed out the washcloth. A lot of blood remained. “Jim…” he started. “Falling down stairs can explain your eye but not everything else. You’re actin’ real strange about this, and I’m really startin’ to worry for you. Jim,” he pleaded softly. “Tell me what happened.”

Jim sighed petulantly but allowed Leo to continue cleaning. The next few minutes passed in uncomfortable silence until Jim fidgeted again. He raised his eyes, but not his chin, and looked at Leo from under his brow. He looked immeasurably sad and lost. “My uncle hit me.”

Leo froze in horror. The man in front of him looked vulnerable and small, and a chill spread through Leo’s chest. Jim seemed invincible, but for his uncle to strip that away so easily…? Leo felt sick, and the bruising around Jim’s eye made his heart ache.

“Oh god… Jim,” Leo whispered. He gripped Jim’s shoulders, trying to extend _any_ measure of comfort. “I’m so sorry.”

He diverted his gaze again, looking absolutely miserable as he stared at the floor.

“Why did he do that?” Leo asked quietly.

Jim tensed under his hands, but Leo returned to cleaning his face. That split lip would need attention, and Jim kept licking his lips. He really needed to stop that, not only to help it heal, but Leo felt guilty for staring while he’s injured.

Minutes passed with Leo cleaning Jim’s face off until the blood was all gone.

“Jim? Why did he hit you?” Leo asked, ducking his head to try making eye contact.

Jim refused to meet his eyes. He took a deep breath and exhaled noisily. “I told him I’m gay.”

The horrid chill returned – Jim’s uncle hit him because he’s gay?

Jim’s _gay?_

“Oh, Jim,” Leo sighed. He squeezed Jim’s shoulder and tossed the cloth aside, shaking his head helplessly. “I’m so, so sorry…” For the moment, Jim seemed to relax. It made his shoulders sag, and though he wanted to hug him, Leo pulled away to get some ointment for his lip. “This’ll sting a bit, but it’s just a disinfectant, okay?”

Jim nodded slowly, and recoiled when the cleaning pad contacted his lip.

“I wanted this to go differently, but… well…” Jim said, trailing off and tensing up again.

“Yeah?”

“You know how I kept asking you to join the rugby team?”

“Yeah?” Leo recalled how annoyed he’d been when Jim kept pestering him. Now he was pretty grateful he had; Jim was a good friend, all things considered. The best friend Leo had ever had…

“Well,” Jim said. “I kind of – I wanted to get to know you better.”

That sounded… weird. Why him, of all people? “What’s so special about me?”

A pregnant pause, and Jim hesitantly looked up at Leo. “I might—” He took a deep breath. “I might be a little gay for you.”

He froze and stared at Jim in silence. No way. _No way._ How could Jim ever have feelings for boring, nerdy Leo? Leo wanted _so badly_ for Jim to want him; at the same time, if it were a joke, he’d be devastated. Despite his reservations, a warm hope grew inside Leo.

“Shit… I didn’t – I’ll just – I’m sorry, I’ll just go,” Jim sputtered out. He started up off the seat cover and muscled past Leo, but Leo grabbed his arm.

“Wait, Jim, don’t – please don’t go,” he begged. Jim halted and let Leo move him back into the bathroom to sit on the toilet once more. When Jim’s eyes finally met his, Leo spoke again. “Do you mean it?” he asked, quiet and hopeful.

Jim nodded slowly, his eyes flicking toward and away from Leo’s, like he were afraid to look at him. “I – I care for you, a lot, L—Leonard,” he murmured.

Leo sighed. “Don’t call me that.”

“I don’t know what to call you,” Jim snapped. “You hate Bones, you don’t like Leonard. ‘Dude’ and ‘man’ and ‘buddy’ just annoy you. What do you want me to call you?”

Nobody had ever bothered to ask before. “Leo,” he said quietly.

“Leo…” Jim whispered. The name flowed off his tongue like honeyed liquor, and a soft smile crept to his lips, despite the crack. He averted his gaze and blushed, looking the part of a young, smitten boy reminiscing halcyon days. “Leo,” he said again. Leo’s heart skipped a beat at the sight and sound of Jim so affectionately saying his name. “Well, I might be more than a little gay for you, Leo.”

Leo tried to keep his excitement at bay. “Well…” He paused; he had never told anyone what he was about to tell Jim. It was a dangerous secret in the world they lived in, and giving it to Jim gave him a lot of power. Although… Jim had given him two secrets, and Leo wouldn’t do anything to hurt Jim. “You probably figured this out…” Leo said, scratching at his neck. “But… I’m gay, too.”

Jim let out a sigh of relief. “Oh thank god… I thought I had misinterpreted the entire situation earlier.”

“But… why me?” Leo asked, completely bewildered that someone as handsome and popular as Jim could possibly want him.

Jim’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Why _not_ you? You’re funny and smart, you make great conversation, you’re _adorable_. Anyone would be lucky to have you.”

Leo sighed and searched Jim’s features for signs of jesting, though he found nothing. Jim thought he was adorable? “I’ve liked you for a long time, and I thought… maybe you did, too? But… part of me thought it was just a big joke,” Leo mumbled, looking down at his hands. “Pretty stupid, huh?”

Jim gingerly took Leo’s hand and looked down at it between his fingers. He turned it over and pressed it against his chest. Though Leo relished the chance to touch Jim’s bulky muscle, underneath his fingers, his heart beat a jackrabbit pace as if he’d been running a mile. He looked at Leo with soulful eyes, blue as the ocean is deep, yearning to convey every ache of affection for him. “Still think I’m joking?” he asked lowly.

“I… no,” Leo said. How could he, with how nervous he was? He kept eye contact with Jim, as Jim stroked the back of Leo’s hand with his thumb. “I just… the rumors and the flirting with everyone and—”

“I only flirt with _you,_ ” Jim interjected.

“I didn’t – I didn’t notice that.” _Great, how perceptive you are._ “I’m sorry I bought into all the rumors. You must think I’m a terrible friend, now…”

“Well… I can think of one way to make up for that,” Jim said, a shy smile spreading over his face.

“Yeah?” Leo asked.

“Will you go out – go out – with me to – to um – a movie or something?” Jim stammered, stuttering and blushing as he looked down at his shoes. “Like, on a date?”

“I…” Leo couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The beautiful man sitting in his bathroom wanted him – wanted _him._ “O-okay,” Leo said hurriedly, his voice cracking. “Okay, but there aren’t – I don’t like any of the movies playing right now.”

Jim thought for a while in silence as Leo resumed dabbing antiseptic ointment on his split lip. “What about a stand-up comedy show? At the local dinner theatre,” he asked suddenly, shifting his lip and making Leo slather ointment on his cheek. “It’s, um… it’s a lot more highbrow than the comedy movies Hollywood’s shitting out lately and—”

“Okay,” Leo squeaked.

Jim gave him a strange look before breaking into a sunny grin and chuckling. “Really?”

“I – yeah,” Leo huffed out, smiling so wide himself that his cheeks hurt. Jim asked him out on a date.

“Okay, um… I think the next show is Friday. Can I pick you up at five? The show starts at six.”

“That’s kind of early, isn’t it?”

“You don’t wanna spend a little extra time with me?” Jim asked with a smile.

Leo chuckled and wiped away the ointment on Jim’s face.

“Okay, 5:15?”

“Yeah – yeah, sure,” Leo said. ‘On top of the world’ didn’t even come close to describing how happy he felt. Jim asked him out on a _date._

“Okay, it’s a date,” Jim laughed, echoing Leo’s exact thoughts.

“Yeah… a date.” Leo glanced into his room; it was 12:30, now. “Hey, um… did you need a place to stay?”

Jim waved him off dismissively. “Nah, I was just gonna…” He froze and gave Leo a side glance. “Well…”

“What were you gonna do, sleep in your car?” Leo demanded, crossing his arms.

“Yeah,” Jim admitted.

“Stay here tonight, okay? You can have my bed, I’ll take the couch.” Leo started for the loveseat before Jim gently gripped his shoulder.

“Wait, you don’t need to go out of your way to welcome me, I can take the couch, it’s fine.” Now Jim started for the couch.

“You’re too tall, I’m not letting you get a kink in your neck.”

“We could always just… share the bed,” Jim said, glancing over at it. It was a full – a decent amount of space for two, unless Jim wanted to… do anything.

Leo shifted around in discomfort at the thought. What _would_ they do?

“Leo, I’m tired,” Jim said, hand on Leo’s shoulder. “I just wanna sleep. Clothing on.”

A hot flush rose to his cheeks. Jim blushed as well. “Okay.”

Leo locked his door, the window, and pulled down the shade again while Jim shrugged out of his jacket and kicked off his shoes. He kept his jeans and undershirt on as Leo split the blankets – one for himself and one for Jim. Leo lay down, bundling up against the cold mid-winter night. Jim joined him, wrapping himself up and turning to face Leo in the lamplight.

They gazed at each other, lost in their newfound relationship of sorts. Jim looked like he wanted to say something, but he stretched his arms out for Leo instead. Leo freed his arms and inched over until Jim pulled him in for a gentle hug. The actual sensation of Jim’s muscled arms wrapped tenderly around him couldn’t compare to Leo’s wildest dreams. He held on like letting go would mean waking up from a dream and losing him. After a few minutes of contented embracing, he reached up with a hand to click off the lamp, plunging them into darkness.

Leo didn’t know why he was so apprehensive about sharing a bed. He wanted it so bad and now he actually had it, and…

Well, he wasn’t so nervous anymore. He turned in Jim’s embrace, pulling them closer. Layers of clothing and blankets cocooned him in warmth he didn’t realize he wanted.

Jim’s hand stroked down his back, and Leo sighed.

“Leo?” Jim whispered.

He will never tire of Jim saying his name. “Yeah?”

“Other than my uncle… you’re the first person I’ve ever told.”

Leo hugged a bit tighter. “You’re my first, too.”

The faint scent of iron lingered where Jim’s blood had covered his face, but a light smell of sandalwood was stronger – the captain of the rugby team seemed to prefer a more natural shampoo or something.

“I won’t tell a soul. I promise.”

“I won’t either.” Never, not ever. “I’m sorry about Frank.”

“It’s okay. One more year,” Jim said sadly.

Leo held him close all night.

 

* * *

 

Leo first noticed the warm body curled protectively around him. When he opened his eyes, he noticed the shock of golden hair tucked under his chin. He smiled wide and sleepy – Jim asking him out _definitely_ wasn’t a dream.

The third thing he noticed was that having a bulky rugby player embrace you all night with pajamas and blankets involved made you uncomfortably warm.

Also evident was his morning wood pressing right into Jim’s abdomen, though he seemed to not mind – or notice.

Leo squirmed a bit to loosen the blanket around him in hopes of cooling himself down. He was about ready to toss it over the side of the bed when Jim started gently petting his shoulder. He relaxed into the bed and let Jim hold him close.

“G’morning,” Jim mumbled into Leo’s shoulder. He stroked a hand up and down Leo’s back and Leo’s heart swelled with joy. A contented sigh let loose from his lips and Jim gave him a squeeze. “What time is it…?” Jim murmured, groaning slightly as he cracked his eyes open. He recoiled at the early dawn light filtering in through the shade.

A glance at the clock told Leo it was half past seven.

“M’hungry,” he said into the blanket, nuzzling into the pillow.

“I’ll go make somethin’, okay?”

“Okay.”

Leo tiptoed to the kitchen and assembled the ingredients for waffles and breakfast sausage as quietly as he could, though his parents were both heavy sleepers; his father stayed in bed well until 10 and his mother would be leaving for church services soon.

Sausages sizzling and waffles frying, breakfast was well on its way to being ready.

Fifteen minutes later he had a tray full of pork and blueberry sausage, whole wheat waffles, raspberry syrup, and milk for the two of them.

He carefully carried the tray to his room, pushing the door open with his foot; the sight that awaited him melted his heart. Jim was bundled up in the corner of his bed, hugging Leo’s pillow and smiling sleepily. The black mark around his eye had darkened considerably, souring the otherwise painterly image of Leo’s best friend.

“Breakfast is served,” Leo quietly sing-songed, setting the tray down on the bed as Jim sat up.

“Oh man, this looks amazing,” he said, looking all the part a kid in a toy shop as he clambered over and sat down cross-legged. He dug in, and Leo remembered that Jim wasn’t used to fancy cooking at home. When Jim took the first bite of syrup-coated waffle, he closed his eyes and moaned. “Is this your recipe?”

“Um… it might be,” Leo said, sheepishly rubbing his neck before taking a bite of sausage.

They ate in companionable silence, Jim occasionally looking up at Leo with a shy smile. It was hard to believe that just last night Jim had come to confess feelings for him, but there he sat on Leo’s bed, smiling as he ate.

As if reading his mind, Jim spoke up. “Did I – did I really ask you out last night? On a… date?”

Leo nodded.

“And you – you said yes?” Jim asked incredulously.

“I did,” Leo responded with a grin.

Jim smiled and blushed. He nervously reached for Leo’s leg and slowly stroked down the wooly pajama pant. “Is… this okay?”

Leo looked away with a bashful grin. “Yeah,” he said with a bashful grin. Jim’s eyes seemed to gleam and sparkle in the morning light – Leo must be imagining – as his face lit up with a smile, and he timidly diverted his gaze from the beautiful sight.

The hand petting his leg gently squeezed his knee, and Leo met eyes as blue as the sky again. He locked onto them as Jim grinned shyly to him, but his smile left when the telltale thumping of footsteps upstairs disturbed them.

“I guess I’d better go,” Jim murmured. As much as Leo wished for Jim to stay, he had no idea how to explain away a burly rugby player sitting on his bed at eight in the morning.

Leo sighed, and looked at their tray now empty. “Yeah… I guess.”

Jim collected his clothing while Leo picked up their silverware. When Jim stood by the window, Leo approached to bid his parting comments.

“So… I’ll see you tomorrow at school,” he said. He gave a small smile to Leo, and opened his arms for a hug. They tried a few times to line up, meeting each other each time as if performing a strange mating dance, until Leo just laughed and went in to loop himself around Jim. Strong arms wrapped around him and a hand stroked down his back.

Leo didn’t let go, and neither did Jim. For what felt like ages, they held each other. Jim nuzzled into Leo, brushing their cheeks together.

“Am I dreaming?” Jim asked, murmured into Leo’s neck.

“I hope not.”

Jim laughed quietly, and patted Leo’s shoulder with the tender touch Leo had long ached for. They parted, and Jim gripped Leo’s shoulders. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, I should go,” Jim said sadly. He opened the window and climbed out, waving once he stood on solid ground. “Um… see you later,” he said.

Leo waved back as he retreated around the corner until he was out of sight. After locking his window, Leo moved the tray to the table and flopped down on his bed, pulling a bundle of blankets into a hug and burying his face to hide his enormous grin.

The whole bed smelled like Jim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains explicit references to child abuse.


	7. Chapter 7

Monday could not possibly come soon enough.

Worse yet, Calculus could not come soon enough. Did it really have to be the last class of the day? The golden lining, however, was that immediately after Calculus came gym workouts with Jim, and possibly studying after, though they’d have to work around his piano lesson.

He also wondered whether the notes would continue; he had neglected to ask whether Jim was the one sending them or not, and he had debated whether to do so or wait.

Either way, by the time lunch came around, Leo was a veritable cauldron of bubbling excitement. In one short half-hour he’d be with Jim again, albeit in a math class.

Leo came to a halt outside the locked classroom at least ten minutes before the teacher even arrived to unlock the door.

“You’re here early, today!” Mr. Janeway said with a chuckle. “What’s got you so eager to be here?”

Leo froze. “Uh… I’m just… looking forward to learning something, today?”

“Pft. I haven’t known many in my years who actually liked Calculus class.”

Once seated, it took another five minutes for Jim to show up, which was about when a brief internal struggle overwhelmed Leo.

_Do I play it cool? Do I act happy? We’re not public, are we? I don’t want to be public yet…_

“Hey,” Jim said, volume low. He patted Leo’s shoulder and gently squeezed as he sat by Leo’s side. Their eyes met for a few seconds, and Jim gave him a small smile Leo was beginning to think was _his_ smile.

Leo smiled back, thinking of their too-brief intimate time together. “Hi.”

“How’s your day been?”

“Good,” Leo mumbled. “I’ve – um – been looking forward to seeing you again.” The telltale blushing sensation spread over Leo’s face, and he was grateful that the classroom was empty except for Mr. Janeway noisily sorting papers.

“Me too,” Jim said, petting Leo’s shoulder.

A quick circular gesture around his eye got Jim’s attention. “Is your eye okay?” Jim’s bruise had been carefully masked with concealer.

“Yeah, it’s okay… don’t worry, he’s gone again for a few weeks.”

Leo frowned anyway; he wanted to ask how frequently Frank hit him, but bit his tongue. “Um… if you want to… get away from him ever, don’t be afraid to ask.”

The look he received from Jim was so raw and vulnerable it tore at his heart. “Thank you,” he whispered, squeezing Leo’s deltoid again.

Leo wanted to say ‘anything for you,’ but knew it was too soon, that this was too new and fragile. The moment passed as other students started filing in, breaking the intimacy. They gave each other one last surreptitious smile before pulling out their work.

 

* * *

 

At the end of Calculus, they headed for Jim’s car, but now a giddy excitement hung in the air. Though the car ride itself was fairly rote, Leo caught himself smiling a dopey grin at Jim more than a few times. He _also_ caught Jim glancing over at him every so often.

Changing went similarly, at least until Leo dove into one of the changing rooms. Core exercises were equally as furtive, and Leo felt a sort of nervous tension spark between them.

It wasn’t until they sparred that it finally came to a head.

Jab right—Jim blocked. Incoming cross—dodged. Straight punch—blocked, jab—hit! Jim stumbled back a bit. Go in for a cross—dodged, incoming straight punch—ow!

Jim knocked Leo backward, only to grab his forearms and lower him to the floor to gently sit on his rear. Jim swept sweat off his forehead and pulled the bottom of his shirt up to wipe off his face, showing off his sweaty belly. For a brief few seconds, Leo took in the sight of Jim’s abs covered in blond fur, only to glance away when Jim uncovered his face.

“Leo?”

“Yeah?” he responded, blushing furiously as Jim knelt next to him.

“You know you’re allowed to look, right?” Jim asked, settling a hand on Leo’s shoulder to give it a light squeeze.

Leo looked up to see Jim smiling softly at him, cheeks pinking slightly when it widened to show off his dimples. He laughed quietly, a rolling laugh coming in short huffs of breath, and Leo couldn’t help but laugh too. Jim thumbed at Leo’s clavicle, a small but welcomed gesture of affection.

When the laughter died down, leaving them with shared looks, Jim patted his shoulder. “Another go?”

“Okay.”

 

* * *

 

As the week went on, Leo became more anxious for two reasons: one, his date with Jim was quickly approaching; two, _his date with Jim was quickly approaching._

As much as he wanted to be with Jim, they were both healthy, growing boys with _needs_ – needs Leo was sure he wasn’t yet able to satisfy. He could barely look at his body in the mirror, let alone expose himself to another person. How the hell would they even _do it?_

The school holiday that Friday just exacerbated his tension; he spent the entire day (sans workout with Jim, which they had migrated to the morning) contemplating what to wear, what to do with his hair… what to tell his parents.

Oh, what to tell his parents.

Eventually he decided to call his father and tell him that he’d be going out to a show with friends and that Jim was picking him up, to which his father replied with insistences of practicing safe driving habits. His mother had been slightly less enthused regarding the evening plans considering she had been planning to make honeyed ham again and Leo would be missing it, but he managed to placate her with the reminder that she was always lamenting how Leo never went anywhere with friends.

Ha, what friends?

So, that was one concern taken care of.

Money was another, but tutoring provided a sufficient income, so that left clothing.

In terms of usual attire for first dates, Leo was completely unsure of what to wear. He didn’t have anything particularly formal but he thought formal would be too much for a comedy show. Casual wouldn’t be enough; he wanted to make a good impression.

Although, this wasn’t a blind date; Jim had known him for well over a month now. Did he really need to make a good impression at this point?

Leo settled on semi casual – a black sweater vest over a gray long sleeve.

He showered; he brushed his teeth; he applied the closest cologne analogue he had; he made a valiant attempt at styling his hair but ultimately the fearsome beast won out over the would-be hero and his hair looked messier than before. He hoped Jim would interpret it as _intentionally_ messy, but he wasn’t sure if that was a realistic expectation.

Five o’clock, and Leo felt ill.

Five fifteen, and Leo was sure he would faint.

Five twenty-five, and Leo could not stop pacing.

Time slowed to a crawl as Leo stared at his bedside clock. At five thirty-four, the doorbell rang and David answered, boisterous and obnoxious.

“Oh hello again, Jim! Ya here for Leonard?”

Leo couldn’t hear Jim’s reply, but he did hear his father call for him. He plodded to the foyer and met Jim where he stood in the living room. He wore a warm-looking blue flannel and black button-up with dark jeans, contrasting his golden hair and darkening his eyes to a rich, warm hue. His eyes widened at the sight of Leo, and he hoped it was not out of amusement over his dress choices.

“Where’re you goin’ tonight?” David asked.

“Hm? Oh,” Jim said. “We’re… going to see a movie with some of my friends from the team.”

“Oh really? What movie?”

Jim looked at Leo like he’d seen a ghost.

“We haven’t decided yet,” Leo quickly supplied. “We were gonna debate it when we get there.”

“Ahh… I see! Well, have fun, then!”

Once David left them alone, Jim gave him a little wave. “Hey,” he said, his voice cracking a bit.

“Hi,” Leo said, wishing he didn’t sound so nervous.

Except he _was_ nervous. Jim couldn’t really blame him for that; he probably was, too.

“Um, are you ready to go?” Jim asked, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“Yeah,” Leo breathed out. “Yeah, um…” He shuffled his feet and blushed, wondering if he now lived in a high school romance comedy. “Yeah,” he said again. _Why am I so awkward?_

Jim led him out to his car, and once buckled in, turned to Leo and said, “Look up movies playing right now and read a plot summary.”

Leo chuckled and unlocked his phone. “Action?”

“Probably.”

Jim drove them downtown to a small local dinner theatre, _The Muse_. Leo had heard of it, but not yet been. The marquee was emblazoned with Comedy and Tragedy sharing a spaghetti noodle, and displayed the name of the show performing that evening.

Parking was trivial, there wasn’t very long of a line, tickets were well in stock; within minutes of their arrival, they were seated in a corner of the dimly lit theatre at a table for two, arranged to face the stage. They took a few minutes to peruse the menu; Leo decided on a Cajun chicken sandwich, though the pecan-crusted chicken salad was tempting too.

“Want an appetizer?”

“Huh? Oh!” Leo exclaimed. “Well, the onion rings sound good, but… so does the pecan chicken salad.”

“Are you getting a sandwich? We can substitute onion rings on those,” Jim said.

_Well I’ll be damned._ “That sounds good. Do you wanna split the salad?” Leo asked.

“Sure!”

When their waiter came around, he introduced himself as Pierre and took their order: Cajun chicken for Leo, a deluxe burger for Jim, and a pecan chicken salad for the two of them. After he left, Leo finally took in the sight of the theatre. While fancy, the decor managed to avoid extravagance. There were private balconies for those willing to pay. Paintings and show posters lined the walls. Dark curtains hung everywhere to absorb echoes. A sizable vase of big red flowers adorned their table.

“This place is really nice,” Leo said.

Jim met his eyes and smiled softly.

Leo had just started examining the patterned tablecloth when the lights dimmed further and the host of the show stepped up to introduce himself.

“Good evening, esteemed guests,” he intoned, voice booming over the loudspeakers. “It is my pleasure to open tonight’s show with a reiteration that tonight’s show is not intended to be family-friendly.”

“Uh oh,” Jim said. He covered his mouth with a fist, trying to stifle a huge grin. He started turning red in the face.

Leo side-eyed him with curiosity. “What’s he mean?”

Once the host started lobbing out jokes like grenades, it became obvious that by ‘not intended to be family-friendly’ he actually meant ‘raunchy as all hell.’ By the time the filthy jokes ended, Leo learned at least eight new terms for the penis, five for semen (two of which he found himself rather fond of – the others not so much), _twelve_ for vagina and many more for various others. He looked at his dinner partner only to see him as purple in the face from laughter and embarrassment as Leo was, covering his mouth and trying to catch his breath.

Blessedly, the show changed to Jim’s promised intellectual humor. Soon after, their salad arrived. The first bite was _fantastic_ ; the fruits and cheeses created a wonderful aftertaste that left Leo wanting more.

It was a while before their sandwiches came. The comedian kept the audience amused with anecdotes of misadventures with his wife, some of which left a rather sour taste in Leo’s mouth; he seemed fond of a particular sort of misogynistic humor.

When their sandwiches finally did arrive, Leo’s jaw dropped at the sheer size of his meal. There were ten onion rings, and the sandwich itself was massive, split down the middle and dressed appealingly. The first bite of an onion ring was sweet and juicy.

Every so often he glanced over at Jim to see him thoroughly enjoying his burger. He’d quietly moan, or lick sauce off his lip. Leo looked straight at him when a particularly funny joke made him laugh long and hard, eyes crinkled and face flush from amusement. He couldn’t help but stare at Jim’s wide smile as Jim held a hand over his belly as he cackled.

He was absolutely beautiful.

During an intermission after Leo finally finished off half of his sandwich, Jim offered half of his burger. “Wanna trade?” he asked, smiling wide.

Leo returned the grin and passed his plate over, getting Jim’s burger in return. He lifted the bun to see the usual dressings, but also bell peppers and marinara.

The next comedian – a woman who told amusing stories about her life experiences in a nearly-monotone but unexpectedly droll voice – did an excellent job at distracting Leo from the niggling anxiety of Jim’s teenage _needs_ —

“Hey, are you okay?”

—he instead thought of Jim promising during their first practice, ‘ _I won’t hurt you.’_

“Um… yeah, I’m fine,” Leo said, a bit too low.

“You sure? You look a little sick and you’ve been quiet.” Jim furrowed his brow and reached across the table, resting a hand near Leo’s wrist.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

Jim pulled out his phone, swiping the screen to check the time. “It’s almost eight thirty already? How did that happen?”

The show _had_ been going on for quite a while, so long that over half the audience had left by then. “I dunno, that woman who told all those stories kept my attention for a while.”

“Do you wanna go?”

It had been quite a nice evening, and Leo thought he was indeed ready to go home. That also meant what often came _after_ a nice date could be on its way. “Uh, yeah, I guess.”

Jim raised an eyebrow, but waved a waiter over. After paying their checks and boxing their leftovers, Jim drove him home.

The anxiety Leo felt from before their date resurged, and he tapped his foot nervously as they neared his house. His mind kept inventing different scenarios in which something went wrong until—

“We’re here,” Jim said, startling Leo out of his stupor.

He clambered out of the car – leftovers in hand – feeling slightly queasy. Jim escorted him to the front door and Leo fiddled with his keys, riddled with guilt from his desire to put distance between himself and Jim. A cough brought his attention back to the man behind him.

Jim shifted from foot to foot, hands behind his back and his head bowed. “Um… can I come in with you?” He looked small and nervous – just like Leo felt. “I, um… I had a really good time and… I don’t really want it to end yet…” he trailed off, sounding more like a question than an explanation. “I’d – I’d love to spend more time getting to know you as… more than friends.”

_There it was_ – what Leo had been afraid of. He tensed up and fought the urge to retreat, keeping his feet planted on the porch.

“Nothing will happen that you don’t want to happen,” he added. “I just mean, um, you know… emotionally.” He smiled hopefully, and looked at Leo through his eyelashes.

How could Leo ever refuse that look? “Okay,” he said. With nerves abated, he turned to unlock the door and let Jim in.

After removing their shoes and storing their leftovers, they headed for Leo’s room, only to stand awkwardly in the middle.

“Um… do you wanna watch a movie?” Jim asked.

Well… Leo’s library wasn’t exactly the best for setting a romantic mood, but he supposed Jim wasn’t exactly going for that. “Okay, do you wanna pick one?”

“Nah, I picked the last one.” Jim flopped onto the loveseat in front of Leo’s television.

Leo gave a cursory look at his library and eventually settled on a drama from several years ago. Once the movie was going, he relaxed a bit. About a quarter through, Leo felt a warmth curling around his hand, and looked down to see Jim gently twine their fingers together. Jim gave a gentle squeeze and started stroking Leo with a thumb. A warmth filled his chest, and he glanced up to see Jim pointedly focusing on the movie and blushing fiercely.

Leo shifted closer to Jim and gripped his hand back, making him turn his head to look at Leo in surprise. Leo just pressed himself against Jim’s side, and Jim relaxed, resting his head against Leo’s as the movie went on. The silence was not at all uncomfortable; rather, Leo found it pleasant to share the space with Jim, clutching his hand and leaning into him

By the end of the movie, Jim had molded himself to Leo. More aptly, he had fallen asleep. Leo was loath to move as Jim still gently held his hand, softly snuffling into his shoulder.

Despite remaining as still as possible, Jim awoke from the lack of white noise and murmured something unintelligible into Leo’s shoulder. He groaned and pulled his hand away to rub his eyes.

“What time is it?” he mumbled.

Leo glanced at the clock; “Eleven thirty.”

“Shit,” Jim hissed. “Contacts are dry…” He blinked strangely, trying to wet the lenses again.

“You think you can drive home like that?”

“Actually, uh… can I – can I spend the night again?” he asked shyly, with a soft smile.

Jim’s beautiful blue eyes were a serious problem. “Yeah. Yeah, I’d – I’d like that.”

While Leo changed into his pajamas and brushed his teeth, Jim stripped down to his undergarments. They switched, and Jim used toothpaste and a finger to clean his teeth. Leo locked the door, then fluffed up the pillows and arranged the blankets how they had been last time, bundling himself up in one. Jim took one for himself and lay down to face Leo.

They gazed at each other for several long minutes. Leo still couldn’t believe he’d been on a _date_ with _Jim Kirk._ He hoped Jim would ask for another.

“I had a really great time tonight,” Jim murmured, grinning at Leo.

“I did too.” Anxiety notwithstanding, he really had.

“Um… do you wanna… go on another date next week?” he asked.

Leo grinned into the pillow and turned a light pink. “Yeah, I’d love to.”

Leo reached out for Jim and wrapped around him. Jim turned out the lamp and clutched Leo, his beefy body warm and sturdy. Leo felt surrounded by him, he was so big, his strong arms gentle and tender around Leo’s smaller frame. He felt safe and protected, and relaxed into Jim, blankets between them be damned.

As he drifted off to sleep, stroking Jim’s back as his best friend held him, Leo felt more content than he had in years.

He could get used to sleeping with someone every night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's probably obvious but please note this fic is now informally tagged with 'Dating'.


	8. Chapter 8

Leo woke to the gentle squeeze of powerful muscles around him; Jim had woken up and wanted to cuddle. He hugged Leo as close as he could, and nuzzled his shoulder. Leo hugged back, burying his face in Jim’s neck and breathing him in.

Jim smelled musky – not post-workout musky or haven’t-showered-in-days musky, but a pleasant, light sort. Leo breathed him in and ran his nose along Jim’s shoulder.

“Mornin’,” Leo mumbled.

“G’morning,” Jim replied; Leo heard the smile in his voice.

A few strokes down Jim’s back rewarded Leo with a happy sigh; they held each other for several minutes, petting and snuffling into each other.

“I’m geddin’ hungry,” Leo said. His stomach growled loudly, and he laughed into Jim’s shoulder. “Do ya have any requests?”

Jim hummed against Leo’s neck and gave his back a few tender pets. “Something hearty? Practice, today.”

The prospect of leaving Jim didn’t sound particularly appealing at all. “I don’ wanna get up,” he admitted with a soft chuckle. He tightened the embrace before letting go and climbing off the bed.

“I’ll be back in a bit, okay?”

“Okay,” Jim murmured into the pillow. He still sounded a bit groggy.

In the kitchen, Leo gathered what he needed for omelettes; if Jim wanted something hearty, he’d get something hearty. Leo chopped up spinach, diced some mushrooms, sliced some pepper jack, browned some sausages, and warmed leftover sautéed onions. The smell of frying egg and meat filled the room with a pleasant aroma, and Leo’s mouth watered in anticipation

About ten minutes later, he had two fluffy stuffed omelettes, toast, and orange juice for two.

When he returned to his room, Jim sat at the table with a book propped open. He had slept in a deep V-neck undershirt for pajamas; how had Leo missed that? His chest fluttered at the sight of the golden fur.

“I didn’t know you were a Shelley fan,” Jim said, looking up at Leo with a grin.

“Um… yeah, I love his style and—”

“What’s your favorite of his?” Jim asked, looking eager for the answer.

Leo set the tray down on the table, and Jim gratefully took his plate. “Uhh… kind of a tossup between _The Daemon of the World_ and _Alastor_.” He started on his toast. He’d been trying different combinations lately; this morning’s selection was a whole grain and seed with raspberry preserves. The sweet and sour was a pleasant start to the meal, but his attention drew back to Jim when he continued.

“I only read _The Daemon of the World_. I really wasn’t big on him hawking vegetarianism on the audience, though.” Jim cut into his omelette, and with his first bite let out a moan of appreciation. Leo remembered that Jim wasn’t accustomed to the healthiest meals at home. “ _Leo_ ,” he moaned as he savored the flavor before swallowing it down. Leo watched his Adam’s apple work down his throat – he could _really_ get used to Jim moaning his name. “You could be a chef if the whole doctor thing doesn’t work out.”

He smiled to himself; maybe someday he’d tell Jim it was he who made the peach cobbler he adored so much – or maybe he’d just make it again. He noticed how close Jim was to him; their shoulders touched.

“Mama used to drag me off to church when I was a kid – great way to ensure I ended up an atheist, by the way – and I um… I kind of really liked Queen Mab denouncing God and Ahasuerus insisting He’s evil – in a resentful-toward-my-mother sort of way.” He turned back toward his omelette – it had turned out fantastic, the texture and flavor spot on – and took a big bite.

Jim’s lips curled upward as he ate his breakfast. “I can definitely empathize with that sentiment.”

Leo didn’t know what to say to that. He frowned down at his plate and didn’t reply, lest he stick his foot in his mouth so early in the day. They ate in silence for a few moments. Jim downed his orange juice, then looked at the bookshelf. “I’m more of a Lord Byron guy, though I have to say that I enjoy the occasional Keats.”

“Really?”

Jim surprised him in new ways every day, but a fan of _poetry?_

“Yeah. ‘ _Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know’,_ ” Jim recited. “Can I… borrow this?” he asked, holding up the book.

“Sure! Do you have any of Lord Byron’s works?” When he’d been to Jim’s house, Leo had noticed quite the book collection – even more than Leo owned.

“Yeah. Do you wanna borrow them?”

“Could I?”

Jim smiled. “Yeah, though be careful of _Don Juan_ , it’s a doozy. It’s not finished, which is _so_ disappointing,” he said. “The rest of his work is fantastic, I especially enjoyed _The Vision of Judgment_.”

“What’s it about?” Leo asked as he gathered the last of his omelette on his fork.

“King George III dies, and Lucifer and Michael fight over who gets his soul. It’s kind of like a court, actually, and it’s hilarious,” Jim chuckled, eyes lighting up as he grinned.

Leo collected their dishes. Jim grabbed his knee, his thumb stroking as an afterthought. He turned to see Jim gazing at him.

“You know… you can _touch_ now, too,” Jim said nervously.

Leo’s heart sped up; he began sweating; his mouth ran dry. Jim wanted him to—

Jim’s strong hand took Leo’s in a tender grip. “Do you... want to?” He looked shy and hopeful, a small smile on his lips.

Leo swallowed, his mouth full of cotton. “I mean… if you – y—yes?” he choked out.

“If you’d be alright with it?” Jim brought his hands up to pet Leo’s shoulders, and blue eyes searched him.

Leo nodded, but Jim didn’t rush him; instead, he petted Leo’s shoulders and arms for a few moments, encouraging Leo to relax.

“It’s okay to be nervous,” he said quietly. He gingerly took one of Leo’s hands and brought it to his own shoulder.

Leo squeezed the muscle under his palm, feeling it give under his fingers. It bulged when Jim raised his hand to cup Leo’s bicep.

“You can always say no,” Jim said, easing Leo’s fears. “It’s always okay to say no.”

Feeling a bit more daring, Leo scooted closer to Jim, so their knees met as they sat cross-legged. He trailed his hand down Jim’s shoulders, kneading his thick bicep. Jim flexed under his hand, his soft smile encouraging Leo in his exploration. Leo stroked down Jim’s arm, tracing the strong muscles that moved almost fluidly under his hand. He caressed the freckled skin and watched as it sent a shiver through Jim’s body.

Jim’s smile widened and his eyes crinkled, a giggle escaping before he pressed his lips together again. “That uh… that feels really nice.”

Leo sheepishly ducked his head, and kept looking at Jim’s beefy arm. He stroked the layers of muscle and soft golden hair for a few moments, then lifted his gaze and smiled. The man sitting in front of him was even more beautiful up close; bright blue eyes with a hint of laugh lines at the edges, light blond stubble coating his jaw and cheeks. Leo’s eyes wandered down the line of Jim’s throat and stuck on the hairy muscle showcased by the deep V-neck; had Jim worn it just for him?

Leo’s hand hovered a few inches from Jim’s chest, and he flicked his gaze up. “Can I…?” he asked, hesitant to just take. His face grew hot, but Jim nodded, a blush spreading to his cheeks as well. Leo pressed his hand to Jim’s bare skin, feeling the soft fur under his fingers. He gently combed his fingers through the golden hair, feeling Jim’s bulging pecs. Jim kept blushing as Leo rubbed his bare skin, appreciating the masculine hair.

Jim brought his hands to Leo’s shoulders, running them up and down and cupping his neck. “I’ve never done this with anyone,” Jim murmured.

“Me neither,” Leo said. Jim’s heart raced under Leo’s palm when he flattened it against Jim’s pec.

Jim silently bid for permission with a glance as his other hand reached up. Leo gave him a nod as well, and Jim reached in to press a hand to Leo’s chest. He tensed up under the contact, and Jim petted his body.

The appearance of raw strength Jim exuded completely betrayed the reality of him as a gentle, tender person. He stroked his hand up and down Leo’s chest, smiling as Leo thumbed at Jim’s chest fur.

“Is this okay?” Jim asked.

“Um…” How to word it without hurting his feelings…

“Tell me the truth, please?”

“It… mostly. I just don’t… really like my body,” Leo confessed, fumbling for words.

“What don’t you like?” Jim asked, soft and gentle as his hand trailed up and down Leo’s upper torso.

A pregnant pause filled the air as Leo contemplated what exactly he didn’t like about his body. Quite a lot, really; he was smaller than Jim, had nowhere near as much muscle mass as Jim, had ugly, patchy body hair, unlike Jim…

“Um… all of it?” Leo said, stretching the hesitant answer out far longer than three words should extend.

Jim just kept smiling. “Well, what don’t you like about _this_?” Jim asked, patting Leo’s chest.

“I feel – I feel mushy,” he said. Mushy seemed like a good word for describing his belly. “You’re so much bigger and… I wonder what I could offer to you.”

“Hey,” Jim murmured. “Remember what I said last week?”

“Yeah, all of it,” he replied.

“Well… as you recall, I said I care for you. A lot. That includes all of this,” Jim said, patting Leo’s torso again. “I like you for what’s up here,” he said, pointing at Leo’s skull, “and what’s down here,” he pointed to Leo’s chest. “This is just icing on the cake, okay?” He gestured to all of Leo. “So, try not to think about how big I am or anything like that.”

Leo couldn’t conjure a reply to that. For a few moments he let it sink in; if Jim liked him for his smarts and his heart, then… he didn’t really have anything to worry about, did he? “Okay.”

Jim smiled and drew him closer to wrap him in a warm hug. Leo let himself be dragged in and hugged him back. They held the embrace for a few moments, and Leo felt a soft press of lips against his neck.

Jim kissed him...?

A wide grin split Leo’s face and he buried himself in Jim’s shoulder, unable to contain the happiness bubbling up inside him.

 

* * *

 

“Boys! I brought dinner,” Eleanora said as she butted open the door to Leo’s room. She set down a tray of grilled sandwiches and coleslaw. “I know ya’ll are workin’ so I’ll make an exception this time and let ya eat in here.” Leo swore his hair magnetically attracted his mother’s hand, and he had further evidence for this hypothesis when she ruffled it before leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.

Jim took one of several sandwiches – what appeared to be his mother’s roast beef and gruyere panini – and took a bite before glancing down appreciatively at it. “This is really good,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, mama makes a mean sandwich.” Leo scribbled out some notes on his notepad. Before practice, Jim had gone home for a few hours. After practice, however, he returned to Leo’s house to work for the evening. He brought his Lord Byron Anthology and talk of their upcoming chemistry project. “So you want to make homemade ice cream?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fun! We get to pick our own flavor and it sounds pretty easy to do a report on it. AP Chem is hard enough, might as well do something that we can eat while making the presentation.”

Making ice cream with Jim _did_ sound like fun. “Yeah, okay, that sounds good.”

Leo looked down at his book for just a moment. When he tore his eyes away again, it surprised him to find a piece of sandwich hovering in front of him; Jim was offering his roast beef gruyere. Jim just smiled innocently at Leo, and when he opened his mouth, Jim carefully fed him the piece of sandwich, waiting for him to start crunching before letting go. He brushed a crumb away with his thumb, and Leo felt something warm and fuzzy grow in his chest.

The sandwich plate had a variety of choices. Leo took a grilled artichoke sandwich and broke off a chunk. Jim looked to him expectantly, and Leo proffered it for him. He leaned forward and gratefully took the food from Leo, with a smile.

Something about the act of feeding each other felt very intimate. He tore off a chunk of three meat cheddar melt, and Jim let him feed it to him. Jim took a turn and gave Leo a piece of the melt, and while he was chewing on it he cupped Leo’s jaw and thumbed his cheek.

The hand stroking his cheek trailed down to thumb at his neck, then further to pet his shoulder. “You know, the massage offer is still on the table,” Jim said.

Leo swallowed nervously, the sandwich scraping down his throat. “M-maybe lat—later,” he stammered.

“Okay.” Jim ripped off a piece of gruyere and fed it to Leo before resuming his gentle petting.

The chemistry notes forgotten, Leo scooted closer to Jim, fully facing him. They took turns offering sandwich chunks to each other and exchanging dopey grins. When the sandwiches were all gone, Leo glanced at their pile of homework. There wasn’t much left to do for Chemistry that weekend, Calculus was fine, English was fine…

“Do you wanna watch TV or something?”

“Okay,” Jim said. “What did you have in mind?”

“Um… well, we could just channel surf until we find something.” Leo scratched his head; he wasn’t usually one for TV, but maybe something they’d both like would be on.

The two sat themselves down on the loveseat in front of the TV, and Leo started scrolling through channels. Police procedurals, reality television, courtroom drama, game shows; nothing grabbed their attention.

“Wait,” Jim said, blocking the remote’s infrared. “What about this?”

Leo had stopped on an exploratory science fiction show.

“Let’s watch this,” Jim said, smiling wide. How could Leo ever say no to that?

The show itself was fairly interesting; in the episode, the captain of the starbase was split into eight copies of himself, each exhibiting dramatically different facets of his personality, and the crew were trying to contain the destructive copies and placate the insecure ones.

“ _We have to purge the trinary process databanks and cycle power for the entire system if we want to get the captain back in one piece._ ”

He glanced at Jim, only to catch him gazing right back.

“ _Negative, lieutenant, that bioform pattern data is necessary if we ever want to get the captain back. We have to replicate all the—_ ”

“Um… will you hold me?” he asked sheepishly, blushing an interesting hue of pink.

_Hold_ him? As in… cuddling? “O-okay,” Leo mumbled. Jim sat himself between Leo’s legs, careful not to squish him into the loveseat, and Leo wrapped his arms around Jim’s middle. Having never held anyone like this before, it took Leo some getting used to. He hooked his chin over Jim’s shoulder so he could still see the television, but even then it was slightly uncomfortable. That is, until Jim threaded their fingers together, and pressed Leo’s hand into his belly. Leo was hard pressed to care about discomfort when Jim seemed so willing to let him explore.

“ _More power to the tertiary processing nodes!_ ” Control panels started emitting sparks as the crew overloaded whatever technology made up the device that split the captain.

“Maybe if we pump more power in it it’ll work better,” Jim said.

Leo huffed. “Doesn’t seem to be working too well for them.” While Jim stroked their thumbs together, Leo started trailing his hand up Jim’s belly, feeling his fingers dip into the muscled abs underneath his friend’s shirt.

The show became background noise as Leo relaxed into their sitting arrangement. He held Jim while petting his belly, learning the contours of Jim’s abdomen as it shifted with every slow exhale. Occasionally Jim’s stomach would twitch from something ticklish – Leo supposed Jim was getting used to this as much as he was. His eyes closed as he nuzzled Jim’s neck, sighing contentedly.

It felt surreal – Leo was holding a living, breathing person who wanted and cared for him. His hands trailed up Jim’s belly, over his abs and to the bulge of muscle of his pecs, and he held his hand over Jim’s heart, feeling the strong pound of it under his palm.

“Leo?”

“Yeah?” he mumbled into Jim’s neck.

“Can I have a turn?”

Leo hesitated to answer; Jim would be touching him and prodding him and finding out for himself just how out of shape Leo was. He squeezed Jim between his arms and felt his heart rate speed up.

“I mean… you don’t have to say yes, if you don’t want to.”

“In a bit?” Leo asked. Maybe Jim would understand his reluctance.

“Okay.”

Jim relaxed into Leo’s grip again, and Leo ghosted his palms over the big pecs. The size of him astounded Leo; his muscles were bulky and powerful, yet still yielding under his fingers; he was warm and comfortable and he fit between Leo’s arms like they belonged around him. Leo couldn’t help but cuddle him.

After a few more minutes of hugging, Leo let go and Jim took the cue to sit on the other side of the loveseat. He patted his thigh, inviting Leo to sit as he stroked a hand down Leo’s back.

Leo looked down to the floor and shrunk in on himself. “Um… okay.” Leo turned around and carefully sat between Jim’s legs. Jim trailed his hands up and down Leo’s arms.

“Tell me if you wanna stop.”

_Jim was touching him and feeling him and holding him and—_

Jim wrapped his muscular arms around Leo’s belly. He plastered himself against Leo’s back, and Leo went rigid.

_Jim was hugging him and his hands were on Leo and—_

Except Jim just petted him; lazy, gentle strokes of hands down planes of flesh. “Are you okay?” he asked. “You’re really tense.”

“Um… uh…”

“I won’t hurt you,” Jim whispered, barely audible over the TV now rolling the credits for the sci-fi show.

As Jim petted his body, Leo repeated a mantra in his head; Jim cared for him, Jim wouldn’t hurt him. The strong hands Leo admired so much flattened over his upper chest and cupped a pec, where Leo’s heart beat a frantic pace.

“Do you want me to stop?” Jim asked, mumbling into Leo’s neck as he nuzzled him.

“Uh… no?” He didn’t. He _actually_ didn’t.

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Keep going,” he said, his voice breaking as Jim’s hand trailed lower, stroking Leo’s squishy tummy. For several minutes, that was all Jim did, and Leo relaxed into his arms. It wasn’t so bad, Jim holding him and touching him. He wasn’t judging him like he expected, and he certainly wasn’t making up cruel names.

A second half-hour episode passed with Jim cuddling Leo, during which he moved to stroking Leo’s thighs with only a bit of objection. By the time the credits rolled, Jim was simply embracing him.

“Do you like doing this?” he asked quietly as his hands resumed petting Leo’s chest.

“Yeah,” he muttered sleepily. During the show, Jim had leaned back against the couch and took Leo with him, and Leo felt particularly boneless.

“Me too.” A pat to his belly and Jim tried to stand. “I should probably head home,” he said.

“Aw… Okay. What are you doing tomorrow?”

Jim collected his things and stuffed them in his pack. “Chores… with Frank never around, someone has to do them.”

“If you don’t have chores til tomorrow, you could just stay another night. If you wanted.”

Jim searched Leo for a moment, before he softly smiled. “Okay.” He sat back down on the couch next to Leo and turned to face him. “So um... what should we do?”

“Well... we could talk about stuff.”

Jim snorted. “What kind of stuff?”

“Um… well… what’s…” Leo trailed off. “What’s your… favorite kind of music?”

“Rock,” Jim said, smiling softly. “Yours?”

“Um… classical.”

“Ooh, classy!” Jim’s eyes widened a bit. “Favorite type?”

“Baroque period. You?”

“I actually, uh… I really like Beethoven.” He smiled sheepishly. “Oh, you mean – I like 80’s rock.” Jim stalled for a moment, humming to himself as his eyes wandered around Leo’s face. “Hobby?”

“I used to play video games when I was in grade school – don’t really have a hobby these days, barely got the time. You?”

“Hey, what about piano? That’s sort of like a hobby.”

“I – I guess. What’s yours, though?”

Jim puffed out some air, disturbing his bangs. “Stargazing.”

A wide smile took over Leo’s face. “Really?”

“I – yeah, what’s got you grinning so wide?”

“I dunno, that’s so… romantic. I should have realized from all the star charts in your room. What about all the buildings everywhere?”

“The pictures? Oh, that. That’s such a lame hobby, what high school student likes _architecture_?”

Leo furrowed his brow in confusion. “What’s wrong with architecture?”

“It’s – it’s not—” Jim scratched at his neck before shrugging. “I don’t know.”

Leo patted Jim’s bicep. “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with architecture. What about… favorite comfort food?”

Jim quirked the corner of his mouth up. “Duh. Pizza.”

“Pizza?”

“Yeah! Even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good. Hard to screw up pizza.”

Leo gave him an incredulous stare. “Are you outta your – I’ve had _awful_ pizza before.”

“But it was still pretty good, right?” Jim asked, waggling his eyebrows.

“No!” Leo retorted with a light and playful slap to Jim’s arm.

“Fine. Yours?”

“Mama’s fried okra. She used to make it for me whenever I was sad. It reminds me of Georgia.”

“Aw, that’s sweet.”

“Nothin’ made me feel better faster ‘n a plate a mama’s fried okra.”

“Favorite color?” Jim asked, his megawatt grin a permanent fixture of their conversation.

“Orange. You?”

“Um, I dunno how to put it into words.”

“What does that mean?”

Jim cupped Leo’s jaw and brushed his thumb along Leo’s cheekbone. “Your eyes are like… they’re hazel but they have flecks of green in them. You, um…” Jim pulled away and blushed. “You have really pretty eyes.”

“Wh—” Leo choked out. “I tell you ‘orange’ and you go on about how pretty my eyes are? You’re makin’ me look bad.” He gave another light slap to Jim’s knee, only for him to laugh. Leo smirked to himself as a new question flitted into his mind. “If you were stranded on a desert island and you could bring one thing with you, what would it be?”

“Duh, a boat.”

Leo sneered and the laughter began anew.

“What’s that for?! What were you gonna say?”

“A book on how to build a boat.”

Jim cackled and fell backward on the arm of the loveseat as Leo continued to glare. When Jim’s laughter calmed to him laying down, belly heaving – which Leo watched appreciatively – he called out another question. “If you had to get a piercing or a tattoo, which would it be? And I mean somewhere other than your ears.”

Leo didn’t appreciate the idea of shoving metal in his body, and hospitals overwhelmingly banned piercings, so… “Tattoo.”

Jim sat up again and made eye contact. “Me too. How come?”

Leo shook his head. “Doctors can’t have piercings, and I don’t like needles.”

“Are tattoos any better?”

“Well… no. But I’ll deal with needles as much as I have to, but I’d rather not one anchoring a piece of metal on me. And what if it gets caught on clothing – or worse, an MRI machine? What then? Go search online for ‘body piercing accidents’ and you’ll see what I mean.”

Jim grimaced. “Ew, I don’t want to even think about it.”

“Guilty pleasure food?”

“Oh man…” Jim rolled his head back and Leo swore he started drooling. “Cheesecake.”

“Yeah?” Leo asked.

“Yeah, the richer, the better.”

“Oh good lord, don’t start. I do like me a bacon weave mac an’ cheese pie, though.”

“A _what_?” Jim asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Oh my god,” Leo said, grabbing his face and melodramatically dragging his hands down his cheeks. “It’s so bad for you, but it’s _so good_. It’s macaroni and cheese with a bacon lattice on top.”

“That sounds… _awful_ , but also amazing.” Jim chuckled. “I need to try it.”

“Don’t, you’ll put on five pounds from it.”

“Pft, it can’t be that bad.”

“Jus’ trust me on this one, okay?” Leo drawled.

Jim bit his lip and shook his head visibly – though why, he wasn’t sure. “First crush?”

“Aw man…” Leo covered his face in shame. Lucy had been his first crush in fifth grade and when he told her, she proceeded to humiliate him in the worst way possible. “I don’t wanna think about that.”

“Oh come on, is it that bad?”

“Yes,” Leo groaned.

Jim patted his back to assuage him. “Okay. When I was in fourth grade, I had a crush on a boy in sixth grade.”

Leo lifted his gaze again. “A sixth grader?”

“Yep. He was so cool and everyone liked him and he was really funny.”

“Was it like… a _crush_ crush?”

“I dunno, I was nine.”

“Did you ever… tell him?”

Jim scoffed. “Yeah, that would have gone over well. I never saw him again after he moved to middle school. No, you’re my first.”

“I – really?”

Jim nodded, giving him a small smile, and Leo’s lips curled up into a dopey grin. “Yeah… I was really… closeted, but I never really denied it. Okay, who was your first crush?”

Leo’s expression soured. “A girl in fifth grade. Lucy.”

“A girl?”

“Yeah, used to think I was straight. That panned out well.”

Jim snorted, then hesitantly asked, “What was so bad about it?”

Leo could already feel his face heating from the shame. “When I told her, she said ‘Eww! But you have cooties!’ and pulled my pants down in front of everyone at recess.”

Jim bit back a laugh. “Wow, really?” he choked out.

“It’s not funny!” Leo said as he pushed Jim’s shoulder. He buried his face again and turned away from Jim, who just began stroking his back.

“Aw, Leo, I’m sorry.” When Leo remained silent and still, Jim stroked more intently. “Please? Okay, how about this. In the seventh grade, I burned off my left eyebrow in a chemistry accident.”

Had Leo been drinking anything it would likely be all over the TV now, what with the fake spit take he made. “ _What?!_ ” He turned to face his best friend and tried to imagine him without an eyebrow. “No way.”

“Yeah way,” Jim nodded, chuckling with a huge, embarrassed grin. “That was a shitty few weeks until it grew back. I had to use a brow pencil.”

“Oh... my... god.” Leo devolved into chortling at the vision of Jim with a missing eyebrow. “Oh my _god_ I would have died of mortification.”

“Let’s – let’s stop thinking about these, okay?” Jim asked, punctuating half the words with laughs.

“How about uh… any TV guilty pleasures?”

Jim hemmed and hawed for a moment. “The couponing show.”

“The what?”

“The couponing show! There’s a couple, but they’re so _absurd_.”

“The _premise_ sounds absurd.”

“No really, one woman was so ridiculous at couponing that she bought five hundred dollars of stuff and the store owed her thirty by the end of it.”

Leo gaped. “No.”

“Yes!”

“No.”

“Really.”

“You’re gonna have to show me this,” Leo sighed.

“What do you hate-to-love on the boob tube?”

“Dork,” Leo muttered. Jim just kept grinning. “Medical dramas.”

“ _Really?_ ” Jim asked, staring skeptically at Leo. “Isn’t it all bullshit?”

“Yeah, I like pointin’ out everything wrong with papa. He can figure out what the disease of the week is in the first twenty minutes.”

“Jeez, he sure sounds like a fun person to watch it with.”

“More fun ‘n you know,” Leo assured him.

“What’s your favorite movie?” Jim asked.

“Um… when I was a kid I watched _The Lion King_ so much it nearly drove mama insane.”

Jim broke into a grin. “I didn’t really get to watch many movies as a kid.”

“Have you at least seen _The Lion King_?”

Jim shook his head.

“ _What?_ ” Leo gasped.

“Never.”

“Oh my god, we gotta!” Leo insisted. “You haven’t lived until you’ve seen it!”

“Jeez,” Jim chuckled as he backed away a bit. “You’re jumpin’ in your seat! We can watch it, just calm down!”

 

* * *

 

“Ever done anything illegal?”

The question made Jim give pause – enough that Leo wished he hadn’t asked it. They had migrated closer during their conversation, pressing against each other wherever possible, petting or holding where it wasn’t.

Now, however, Jim’s hands froze where they were – gently gripping Leo’s biceps – for under a second.

“I mean I’ve only done stuff like… downloaded music. I ran a couple red lights, I guess…” Leo started. He kneaded Jim’s shoulders, occasionally trailing his hands down to palm at his pecs. “I downloaded a movie, once. When I was three, I stole a candy bar from a store ‘cuz mama wouldn’t buy me one. I also—”

“Leo,” Jim interrupted. He chuckled and blushed, his hands resuming their path, stroking along Leo’s arms with an aching tenderness. “I’ve done worse.”

A hot embarrassment spread through Leo’s face, and Jim smiled widely.

“Okay, um… your turn.”

 

* * *

 

Before either of them knew what happened, it was eleven; they’d been talking for hours.

“Shit, I should have gone to get some of my stuff,” Jim grumbled.

“Do you need to borrow anything?”

“Nah, I’ll live. Floss and mouthwash will be fine.”

“Alright.”

After several minutes each of bedtime preparations, they both sat cross-legged on Leo’s bed – Leo dressed in pajamas, Jim dressed in workout shorts. Jim started splitting the blankets again, but Leo grabbed his wrist.

“Wait, let’s… share, tonight?”

Jim paused for a moment before rearing back and smiling. “Okay.”

They arranged themselves under the blankets until they faced each other, grinning madly.

“So um… here we are.” Leo stared at Jim for a moment until he finally reached out for him and wrapped around him.

If holding his best friend with blankets as a shield felt good, having Jim in his arms and tenderly embracing him felt amazing. His warm, muscled body easily filled his arms. Jim snuggled into his neck and gave a content sigh. Leo settled his arms low around Jim’s back as the he shut off the light and stroked a hand down Leo’s back.

“I’m really glad I stayed,” Jim murmured, the sound carrying through Leo.

“Me too…”

Leo gently drifted off to sleep, thinking only of how wonderful Jim felt between his arms.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Fingers gently rubbing his scalp woke Leo from slumber. Jim’s smiling visage greeted him when he opened his eyes. “Morning,” he said, tone low and gentle.

“Hey.”

Jim sighed, frowning a bit. “I have to go… I wanted to wait until you woke up.”

Leo gave a quiet huff of disappointment as Jim gave him a final pet before separating from him. He watched Jim gather his things before sitting down on the bed.

“Spring break this week, so we have a lot of time to ourselves. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jim said. He pulled Leo in for a tender hug. A few moments of content embracing passed, and Jim pulled away a bit to cup Leo’s jaw. He looked so beautiful wearing a soft smile before pressing a gentle kiss to Leo’s cheek. Leo’s face split in a big grin; he buried his face in Jim’s neck and hugged him tight as if doing so would make him stay. Jim stroked down Leo’s back with a hand, then pulled away.

“Okay, I gotta go,” he said sadly.

“Alright,” Leo murmured.

Leo got out of bed to show him to the front and waved as Jim drove away.

Suddenly a single day felt like an eternity.

 

* * *

 

With spring break upon him, Leo _should_ have been reading every novel he could get his hands on. Instead, he delved into Lord Byron’s collective works.

First on his list was _The Vision Of Judgment,_ which Jim recommended. It was _hilarious,_ with a quite civil Lucifer and a possessive and greedy Michael. Lord Byron had quite the taste for satire, and Leo greatly enjoyed the stab at his mother’s faith and the ridicule of King George III.

_Don Juan_ on the other hand… he only – only, he thought – got through two cantos before it was time to go to the gym.

Leo had lost track of how long they’d been working out together, but he at the very least noticed his endurance and strength steadily rising. In fact, that Monday Jim had him up almost all his weight settings.

He could bike for longer, he could lift more, he was getting better at sparring – significantly better, in fact.

Jab—hit! Straight punch—hit! Cross punch—blocked. Incoming jab—ow. Left hook—blocked. Incoming hook—ow! That one hurt. Cross punch—dodged. Incoming straight punch—

Leo nearly toppled over from the force of the punch hitting him. He fell away from Jim and wiped the sweat away from his forehead.

“Jim, I’m really tired now, everything’s sore,” Leo huffed out. “Can we stop?”

Jim, hands on hips, surveyed Leo for a moment and nodded before wiping his face off with his shirt. “Yeah, that’s okay – upping weights’ll do that to ya. Let’s hit the showers.”

 

* * *

 

With season practice now well under way came studying new drills and techniques to help Chris direct the groups. So far it had been going pretty well. He had delegated one group of three players to Leo’s jurisdiction to get him used to directing them.

They went through a swerve, a spin and offload (Rogers didn’t do that so well – need to keep an eye on that), the chip kick (Williams futzed that one), the drop kick, a kick whose name Leo couldn’t remember (Rogers did poorly with that as well), and now worked on tackles.

His group of three players did the front-on tackle well enough. Front standing tackle went okay. Williams was a bit shy about it, though who could blame him? No one liked being tackled.

They just started side tackling when a pained groan got Leo’s attention. It wasn’t his three players, so who was—

Jim was halfway down the field, flat on his face, with another player climbing off him. He groaned again and Leo’s legs carried him across the field in record time.

“Jim, what happened?” Leo croaked out. Jim groaned again. “Where does it hurt?”

“Upper back,” he wheezed. “On the right.”

“Okay, uh…” Sounded like injured ribs, which would put Jim on the bench until games actually started. “I need to check you for bruised or broken ribs, okay?”

“Okay,” Jim said. He pushed himself onto his forearms and stood up without visible difficulty.

Well, that made injured ribs less likely… “Uh… go sit on the bench, I guess.”

Jim ambled over to the benches and took a seat on the end of one. Leo followed and pulled out a medical kit.

“Okay, I gotta—” Jim had removed his uniform and undershirt, showing off bare back. “Uh… check your… back.” And what a back it was, sculpted muscle proudly unveiled for Leo. “Where was – where was it again?”

Jim taking off his shirt made Leo stupid.

“Upper right.”

Jim’s back was lightly tanned even though it was the middle of March. He hunched over, his weight on his forearms, and he shivered when Leo pressed his fingers into the muscle. Leo wasn’t sure if it was from the cold, or his touch; he hoped it was the latter.

“Are you having difficulty breathing?” Leo asked as he poked at Jim’s upper ribs and the thick muscle laid over them.

The man under his hand took a deep breath, releasing it noisily as a thick cloud in the air. “No.”

Leo wished they were in a more private setting as he covered his pants with his clipboard. “Any sharp pains?”

Jim pivoted his right arm around, flexing his back and bulging up his arm muscles; thank you, clipboard, for obscuring Leo’s erection. “No.” He turned his head to look at Leo with a little smirk. There was still dirt stuck to his face – Leo should clean that off while he has Jim here.

The thought of Jim exaggerating his reaction so Leo would pat his back flitted through Leo’s mind. Maybe he did it just for this “Well, there really isn’t anything to suggest a rib injury, so I guess you’re free to go play again.” As Jim pulled his uniform back over his head, Leo poured some water over a small towel. “Here, clean off your face.”

Jim gratefully took the towel and wiped the dirt out of his scruff. “Thanks,” he said with a tiny smile, before plodding back to the field to rejoin his drill group.

Suddenly Leo realized Jim playing rugby would only open the door to more – and worse – injuries.

 

* * *

 

Wednesday dragged on until Leo’s tutoring session. At the very least, his student was making good progress (as Leo had found teaching methods that managed to get Jason more motivated) and the hour passed relatively quickly.

After returning home, though, he had to wait for Jim to pick him up.

Jim’s injury hit home that he was only mortal. Then again, Jim had been playing rugby for a long while (Leo supposed), so it couldn’t be _that_ dangerous.

The doorbell rang, and Jim greeted him at the door with a sunny grin. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah, hold on.” Leo retreated to his room for his gym bag, then followed Jim out to his car.

The ride to the gym was painfully silent. Leo spent the entire trip contemplating how to bring up his concern.

“You doin’ okay there?” Jim asked. He looked at Leo with a bit of a frown, his brow furrowed.

“Uh… well, I was thinkin’…” He stalled. Jim was driving – was this a good time to bring it up?

“Yeah? About what?”

“Well… um… I was a bit worried about…” Leo burned with embarrassment and picked at his nails, avoiding Jim’s gaze.

“What about?” Jim asked, quieter this time.

“What are the chances of you being… more seriously injured on the field?” Leo hoped it wasn’t taken the wrong way – he cared for Jim, he didn’t want to question his capabilities.

“Aw, Leo, don’t worry about that. We don’t do the most dangerous parts of rugby union.”

Leo looked up to see Jim smiling softly to him as they sat at a stop light. “Oh? What’s that?”

“All our scrums are uncontested, so they’re way less dangerous. We don’t do line outs, and we’re all taught proper tackling form. Shit happens, but there’s practically no risk of irreversible injury.”

Leo let out an audible exhale of relief. “Oh… that’s good.” The tension melted away until only a light concern remained.

“I’ve been playing rugby for five years, I know what I’m doing.” He smiled his just-for-Leo smile, making a red heat fill Leo’s cheeks. Leo had guessed right; he definitely was well trained.

“Okay.”

Jim’s hand gripped Leo’s forearm and gently squeezed. “It’s good to know you care,” he said quietly.

Leo moved to thread their fingers together. “Of course I care, Jim. You’re my best friend. You’re my… more than a friend.”

It was Jim’s turn to blush, and he stroked Leo’s hand with a thumb. “You’re my best friend too, you know.”

Leo’s lips curled up; it was so nice to get to share the intimacy of holding hands. He’d ached for it for so long and. The rest of the car ride was spent in silence, fingers twined and stroking thumbs.

 

* * *

 

Jim huffed from the strain of sparring with Leo. “Oh man, you’re getting really good at this,” he said, doubled over with his hands on his knees.

Leo panted to regain his breath, sweat pouring off him. He’d already been exhausted by the weight training; the fact he was sparring so well astounded him. “I thought that was the point,” he drawled as he flapped his shirt to cool himself off.

Oh _no._

Jim peeled his shirt off and tossed it toward their shoes, revealing his chiseled torso covered in sweat.

“Gimme your best shot,” he exhaled as he assumed a defensive stance again.

Leo mirrored him and threw the first punch.

Jab—blocked. Straight punch—hit! Right in Jim’s shoulder. Incoming cross—dodged! Jab—straight punch—both hit! Incoming hook—dodged. Hook—hit! Hit his arms out of the way, push him back to disarm him—

Leo sent Jim off balance, and he fell on his butt. Leo dove in to pin his hands on either side of his body to prevent a cheap shot, sitting on his lap in the process.

“Leo, you did it!” he exclaimed, gaping up at Leo with pride.

The sight of the young man under him distracted him from Jim’s words; he heaved breath under him, skin pinked and sweat trailing down him. His golden hair stuck together in strands, scruff covered his jaw and trailed down his neck, and his blue eyes looked painfully beautiful this close.

Jim was every inch a man, his thick arm muscles flexing from being held in such a way. His skin shone with a thin sheen of sweat and the fur coating every inch of his chest and belly begged Leo for his caress. He’d not noticed the freckles that lightly dotted Jim’s skin before. Even his underarm hair was attractively curled from sweat.

“Leo?” Jim asked, eyes wide in expectation.

The man below him, his best friend, was so handsome Leo could hardly believe Jim wanted him. He thumbed tenderly at Jim’s hand under his, filled with a sudden urge to divulge his feelings.

Wait… he was allowed to look, now. He was allowed to touch, allowed to—

“Leo?” He asked again, quieter.

Instead of answering, Leo leaned down and gently pressed his lips to Jim’s, closing his eyes and breathing in the smell of his friend. Jim’s lips were soft and pink, yielding under his own. He couldn’t help but flick his tongue out to lick at the sweat on them, and he turned his head to get a better angle.

Leo’s heart fluttered as Jim lifted his head to meet him halfway. Oh how sweet and innocent – but awkward – the kiss was; they were but two boys exchanging an amateur press of lips.

When he pulled away, Leo dared not open his eyes in case he were dreaming, but Jim squeezed his hands and they flew open of their own accord.

Jim still lay beneath him, smiling wide for Leo, his eyes crinkling and his dimples flush. A wide grin split Leo’s expression, and he released Jim’s hands, resting one on his side and laying the other on Jim’s sweaty chest, right over where his heart beat quickly.

Jim had a different idea. He reached up to tenderly cup Leo’s head and gently pulled him down for another soft kiss, bumping noses first by accident. He huffed out a laugh before pressing their lips together in an intimate gesture of affection.

The second kiss was assuredly better, with Leo opening up and sucking on Jim’s lips. He carded a hand through Jim’s hair, petting through the golden shock until Jim drew away. He licked his lips in thought before murmuring, “Just wanted to make sure it wasn’t a one-time thing.”

Leo was sure his lips would split with how wide he grinned. He could only nod in response.

Jim glanced down, biting his lip to keep from grinning. Leo followed his gaze and flushed, shifting uncomfortably on top of his—Jim. He burned with bashfulness, realizing not only was he hard, Jim sported an impressive stiffy too, and—

Leo should get Jim off now. Get off _of_ Jim, now.

He collapsed, burrowing his face into Jim’s neck. Jim – the jerk – kept laughing even as he wrapped his arms around Leo and gently stroked down his back.

As far as first kisses went, Leo couldn’t have asked for better.

 

* * *

 

Leo couldn’t focus.

Though, neither could Jim.

While changing in the locker room, Leo kept looking over at Jim in various stages of undress, thinking about that kiss. _Both_ kisses.

Every time Jim looked at him, he couldn’t help but laugh – the small sort of embarrassed laugh you held back when disturbing other people was unacceptable. Jim grinned too, his cheeks red.

The quiet sheepishness continued all the way until Leo dropped Jim off at his house, where they waved goodbye before Jim reluctantly stepped in to do his chores.

Leo couldn’t wait until he had the privacy to kiss Jim again.

 

* * *

 

From: Jim  
 _Can I pick you up at 6 on friday?_

It was probably for their date – which they hadn’t yet discussed during the week – although this apparently confirmed it.

To: Jim  
 _6 works fine._

A few minutes later, Leo’s phone buzzed with a new message.

From: Jim  
 _Bring $40 I got us the nightly unlimited package_

For what…?

To: Jim  
 _What are we doing?_

From: Jim  
 _Were going to the best arcade in town. Not the big busy one but the other one so there won’t be as much of a crowd_

While a bit reserved about an arcade for various reasons, Jim had swayed him over to rugby, studying together, working out together…

What was one more thing?

 

* * *

 

Despite seeing Jim on Thursday for practice, and despite working out with him on Friday, the hour after that Leo spent bathing and preparing for their date still dragged on like time were hauling a semi behind itself.

What made time drag on even slower was that Leo couldn’t stop thinking about their kiss. Kiss _es,_ that is.

Jim’s lips were so soft and so plush and all Leo wanted to do was take them in his again. All he wanted was to hug Jim and kiss Jim and feel his heart surge in his chest with joy.

He couldn’t wait for Jim to get there.

Leo picked out something far more casual this time: faded jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

Upon Jim’s arrival at six, Leo stepped out into the cold and shook his head at the sight of Jim wearing basketball shorts and a black hooded sweatshirt; he wondered why he spent so long figuring out what to wear.

“Ready?” Jim asked, wearing a grin that looked as if it could melt snow as he bounced on the balls of his feet. “Cuz I am!”

Leo smiled wide at him; the few times he had been to an arcade, he hadn’t cared for it, but with Jim? Perhaps he’ll feel different. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Jim drove him downtown to the arcade, and he was right – it wasn’t that busy. After having a talk with the front register about the special Jim had reserved, they paid and were given neon orange bracelets to wear.

“These are for getting tokens,” explained the cashier. “You can use them for both video games and the games of skill for prizes.” The cashier also handed them two oversized orange tickets that said _Meal Ticket_ on them – Leo inwardly chuckled at the pun. “You can exchange these for any one appetizer and entree, enjoy!”

With that, they were ushered into the arcade, where noisy games advertised themselves with flashing lights and promises of prizes. In another section, rows of video games awaited. Other patrons were sparse: there were a few children behaving obnoxiously and the occasional adult – possibly a chaperone – but other than that it was mostly other teenagers.

After getting a can of tokens from the prize counter, the main floor of attractions awaited them.

“What do you wanna do first?” Jim asked, giddy with anticipation.

“Uhhh…” Leo’s gaze flicked between the video games, prize games, the billiard room, and the eatery.

“Let’s win something first!” Jim grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward the bank of games.

He darted toward a claw game first, and Leo went for the skee ball machines. A long track made the bed of the machine, with a ramp at the end that would launch rolled balls into holes marked with varying point amounts.

Five balls rolled out of the machine and Leo hefted one and rolled it down the track, watching it roll off the ramp into the twenty points ring. Another ball, twenty points. Another, down the thirty-point hole. He scored one last thirty, for a total of a hundred points. The machine printed out a small strip of tickets for him, and he pocketed the lot.

Jim, meanwhile, had won himself a plush elephant, and joined him at the skee ball bay. “Hey, get anything?”

Leo held up the small ticket collection. “Not much, ten tickets.”

“Hold this? I wanna try.”

Leo held onto the purple stuffed animal while Jim played the machine. One hundred points, fifty points, fifty points, ten points, fifty points, for a total of two hundred sixty. The machine dispensed a much larger reel of tickets, nearly fifty by Jim’s estimate.

“Try one of the crane games, those usually give out something.” Jim played another round while Leo approached an unoccupied crane.

They seemed simple enough; move the crane along two axes and hope the oft anthropomorphized claw decides it ‘likes you’ enough to hold on to the prize. Leo saw a very large stuffed platypus in the corner and decided on that. He carefully moved the crane to the corner and deployed it, watching it lower to make a grab for the stuffed animal. Instead of latching on to the platypus, it grabbed onto a plush red snake coiled like a ball python and returned it to the prize chute. The game declared Leo a winner with a cacophonous jingle. He supposed the snake was cute enough, as he took it out and held it along with the elephant.

Jim returned with a great deal more tickets – nearly triple what he had before. “Hey, I figured out how to get in the hundred more often. Want me to show you?” He grinned madly, what with all the tickets he had stuffed into his sweatshirt pocket. Apparently, he decided Leo wanted to play anyway, judging by how he took Leo’s hand to lead him to the machines.

Over the next ten minutes, Jim showed Leo what he called the ‘technique’ for playing skee ball, and by the end of it, Leo shot at least two hundred points every round, with Jim scoring close to three hundred fifty. They walked away with at least a thousand tickets between the two of them, and they waltzed off to the prize counter for safekeeping. Also offered was an exchange for the stuffed animal – fifty tickets for a small stuffed animal, one hundred for a larger one, and a thousand for the platypus – for whatever reason. Leo opted to keep the red snake, and Jim traded in the elephant.

“Hungry yet?” Leo asked, feeling his stomach grumble from inattention.

“I could eat,” Jim answered.

The “bistro,” as it was so labeled, wasn’t as crowded as the arcade, and ordering food wasn’t a debacle of any sort. Leo ordered mozzarella sticks and an Italian pizza, while Jim ordered chicken tenders and fish tacos. Since it was ‘happy hour,’ any appetizer orders came with ‘fifty% more.’

(“That is _not_ how you’d write that.”

“Just… let’s move on, Leo.”)

They took a booth a way away from other patrons and clambered into the somewhat uncomfortable seats, their legs brushing against each other from lack of space.

“Having fun so far?” Jim asked, sipping on his water.

“Yeah,” Leo said, surprised by his own answer. “Yeah, I am. The last time I was in an arcade was in fifth grade for someone’s birthday party, and no one would play any of the games with me…”

Jim furrowed his brow and took a noisy slurp of his drink. “They don’t know what they missed out on,” he murmured. Leo started when he felt a hairy leg hook around his ankle and start running up and down his calf. “Sorry,” Jim snorted. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Anything in the prizes catchin’ your eye?” Leo drawled. Jim’s furry leg kept lazily rubbing his calf as they conversed.

“Careful with that accent, doctor, you might catch something other than a cold.” Jim said with a wink – or something. Both of his eyes winked, he supposed.

Leo gaped as Jim took another sip. “What does that even _mean?_ ”

Jim nearly spat out his water mid-sip. “I don’t know!” he chuckled after swallowing it down. “It sounded way better in my head.”

“Pft, sounded better in your head… still, it’s better than anything I ever came up with.”

“I dunno…” Jim said, trailing a finger along Leo’s arm. “’I wanna be a doctor’ was pretty good.”

Leo let out a loud guffaw and Jim just smirked at him like he was the funniest man alive. A busboy came by with their appetizers while Leo was still laughing, and Jim thanked him as Leo went red in the face. When he finally calmed down, mozzarella sticks and chicken strips awaited him.

They easily conversed between bites as they shared food – Jim still fondling his leg and Leo occasionally patting Jim’s hand – until their entrées arrived. Leo’s Italian pizza was surprisingly one of the better pizzas he’s had, and Jim’s fish tacos were delectable.

On their way back to the arcade, they passed the prize counter and Jim stopped in his tracks. “Hey,” he said, groping in the air for Leo’s shoulder before finding purchase. “Look at that.”

Leo turned to see Jim pointing toward one of the upper shelves of prizes on display. One of them was a brand-new game console of choice for 25,000 tickets; another was a motorized scooter for 15,000. “What am I looking at?”

Jim ducked a bit to match Leo’s height and pointed again to the right shelf. On it was a large conic lava lamp for 5,000 tickets.

“I really want that,” he said. Leo side eyed him to see Jim gazing wistfully at the lamp. “That would look so cool in my room.”

Leo would do anything to replace that sad look with a smile. “You know, I could help you get them all…”

Jim turned and gave him a boyish grin. “Really…?” he asked in disbelief. “You’d do that for me?”

“I… yeah, why wouldn’t I?” Leo raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“You, are, the greatest! Let’s go!” Jim pulled on Leo’s arm, hurrying him toward the prize machines again. After a bit of napkin math, they deduced it’d be better for Jim to do skee ball and for Leo to operate the crane.

(It wasn’t a particularly difficult conclusion to reach.)

The sound of balls hitting the ramp constantly barraged Leo’s thoughts as he worked the crane, getting many stuffed animals in the process. An orange chimpanzee, a blue dinosaur, a clownfish, a purple skunk, and a cow made up his winnings. The dinosaur, clownfish, and cow had tags on them specifying their size, for a total of fifty tickets gained over the course of a few minutes.

Meanwhile, Jim earned another hundred and fifty from the skee ball machines before running off to get more tokens for them. While Jim got more tokens, Leo handed over all but the snake, giving them a grand total of 3400 tickets.

“We’re almost there!” Jim exclaimed, bouncing around excitedly.

It took another half hour, but they finally earned enough tickets to get Jim’s prize. Jim approached the counter with a truly massive haul of tickets, and the prize clerk made a small O with his lips.

“Ooh, ya lookin’ at one of the bigger prizes, huh?” He loaded the bundle of tickets onto a scale – their total came to 5300. “So what are ya wantin’?”

Jim pointed out the lava lamp and was given a variety of color choices; he settled on a red one with purple goo. “Oh man, I can’t wait to put this up in my room! I’m gonna go put it in the car. You wanna keep the snake? I’ll put that in the car, too.”

Leo handed it over – he wasn’t sure why he kept it, perhaps as a memento for the evening – and returned to the arcade to wait for Jim. The beautiful, happy smile and the look of achingly tender fondness he received warmed Leo to the core.

 

* * *

 

After Jim’s return, they moved on to video games. Leo’s favorite was by far the boat racing game. Jim preferred the dancing mat; try as he might to get Leo to partake, he resolutely refused to step anywhere near it. Jim’s dancing on the other hand… Watching him was like watching a newborn foal try to find purchase with its never-used legs. He scored high, but looked hilariously inept. All Leo could think of was how it made Jim all the more endearing.

By impulse, Jim checked the time on his phone. “How is it ten already?”

They’d been playing games for over three hours?

Leo ran a hand through his messy hair and let out a tired, noisy exhale. “It’s nearly closing time, we should probably get going.” Indeed, few patrons remained, and the bistro had closed a while ago.

“Wanna… go get ice cream or something?” Jim asked. Leo was still perplexed as to how someone so burly as Jim could come across so boyish instead – something to do with that smile. “There’s a place just a few blocks from here.”

“Okay,” Leo replied, smiling softly.

Out into the late March night they trekked, Jim leading Leo down the street toward the ice cream shop. “So,” Jim started, looking down to the ground with his hands in his pockets. “How’d you like the arcade this time around?”

“Way more fun this time,” he answered, throwing Jim a sincere smile.

Dinner with Jim had been surprisingly intimate and the video games an excellent pastime. Leo’s favorite moment by far was Jim’s happy grin when he traded for the lava lamp.

“You know, depending on how well our project goes, we won’t need an ice cream store.”

Leo chuckled loudly. “Yeah, let’s see how well we make brownie and fudge ice cream.”

Jim whistled to himself. “Damn, you got fancy taste there, Doctor McCoy.”

Leo furrowed his brow. “Why, what’s your favorite flavor?”

“Peanut butter and cookie dough.”

“ _I’m_ the fancy one?!” Leo gave a light shove to Jim’s shoulder and he cackled. “How do you even make that…” he muttered.

“They mix whatever flavors you want with the toppings you want.”

“Oh.” But a moment later Leo took a double take at Jim. “Wait, mix the flavors?”

The cold late evening air nipped at Leo, who’d left his jacket in Jim’s car.

“Yeah. You’ll see.”

When they finally got to the ice cream shop, there was quite a line in front of them. There were so many flavors and toppings it made Leo’s head spin with possibilities. Once he settled on chocolate fudge brownie he watched the clerks serve ice cream to an elderly couple. Rather than use scoops, they used wide blades that looked more suited to masonry than confectionary treats to spread the ice cream over a slab of marble. The clerks spread whatever the buyer wanted over the ice cream, then scraped the mix back up and served it in cones or bowls.

“Have you decided yet?” Jim asked.

“Yeah.”

Jim ordered cookie dough with peanut butter candies. Leo watched the clerk swirl the orange and black candy into the ice cream and expertly stuff it in a waffle cone for Jim. While he paid, Leo placed his order and watched the clerk mix his ice cream with fudge and brownie pieces.

After paying, they sat at a small table and ate their ice cream in silence, Jim smiling happily at Leo, Leo returning an equally content grin.

“Good?”

“Yeah, real good. I’ve never been here before,” Leo drawled.

“Hoo, there’s that accent again,” Jim said, shaking his head. “A man’s gotta be careful, what with you slingin’ that southern twang around.”

Leo raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Okay,” he chuckled. “If you say so.” His face heated up anyway.

Jim tapped Leo’s shin with his shoe. “Really.”

As they ate, Leo noticed Jim’s ice cream melting through the bottom of the cone; some had dripped on his fingers and presently made a small puddle on the table.

“Oops,” he murmured when he finally noticed. He brought his sticky fingers to his lips and, once Leo was looking, made a show of licking them clean, laving his tongue in between them and slurping up the white fluid. Leo’s pants grew less comfortable with each passing second as his cock filled. Jim left a dribble of ice cream trailing down from his lip and sucked ice cream out of the bottom of the cone. He let out an obscene moan; quiet enough as to not disturb their neighbors, loud enough to make Leo wonder if he’d make those noises in the bedroom.

Vengeance would surely be sweet, but how to exact it eluded Leo as he watched Jim messily eat his ice cream. When another drip covered Jim’s fingers in sweet liquid, Leo gingerly grabbed his wrist.

“Here, lemme help you with that.” Leo steeled himself and brought in Jim’s hand to wrap his lips around his fingers. Jim’s mouth dropped open and his face flushed bright red when Leo sucked lightly on his fingers, cleaning off the melted ice cream with slow, wet licks.

When Leo released Jim’s fingers, he stared in disbelief. The silence stretched on and he swallowed in thought. Eventually he croaked, “Not fair.”

Leo covered his mouth as he laughed while Jim crossed his legs and hurriedly ate the rest of his ice cream. When his laughter died down, Leo shivered violently, still unused to the frigid winters even after a few years of living in Iowa. The ice cream freezers didn’t help at all.

Jim used the restroom, then they left for Jim’s car. Leo huddled over to resist the cold, but as he’d forgotten his coat it was ultimately fruitless.

“Hey, hold on a sec,” Jim said before unzipping his sweatshirt and wrapping it around Leo’s shoulders. The fabric was surprisingly soft for looking so well-worn, and surrounded him in a comfortable, earthy-smelling warmth.

“Oh, thank you,” Leo said.

The walk back to the car was in companionable silence. Once in the car, Leo snuggled into Jim’s toasty sweatshirt. Jim’s hand found his he twined their fingers together. The ride back was quiet, and Leo reflected back on his favorite moments of the evening. By far and wide, seeing Jim so happy from winning so many prizes was the highlight of the evening.

When they arrived at Leo’s house, Jim walked him to the door.

“I, uh… had a really great time tonight, too,” Leo said. He fiddled with the plush snake and looked looked in Jim’s eyes as he smiled wide.

“Me too. Do you… want to… come over tomorrow after practice?” he asked, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“Yeah, I’d love to.” It still struck Leo how shy Jim was when it came to him. Someone so handsome and strong being reduced to a nervous and timid boy around him was… surprisingly flattering.

“Okay, I’ll see you then. Um…” Jim brought his hands up to Leo’s face and in an apparent moment of hesitation, paused. Leo gave him an encouraging smile, and Jim cupped Leo’s jaw to give him a sweet goodnight kiss.

There was neither force nor rush behind it, just a gentle, chaste press of lips to each other. The warmth of Jim’s hands on his jaw, the caress of a thumb across his cheek, his slightly wet lips mouthing at his own, tongues licking out to find purchase with the other’s only served to heighten the sense of time slowing to a halt.

It stretched on for ages, but it was over too quickly. Jim carded a hand through Leo’s hair, softly petting him as they rested their foreheads together.

“Goodnight, Leo,” Jim murmured, before pressing his lips to Leo’s once more. They parted too soon, and Leo watched Jim slowly walk back to his car. He stood on his porch, watching until Jim rounded the corner, before ducking inside and grinning wide to himself.

He still had the sweatshirt.

 

* * *

 

Leo’s thoughts remained firmly centered upon his best friend all throughout his evening routine. While undressing, he’d break into a grin. While brushing his teeth, he’d chuckle at something Jim said.

While showering, however, he slowly stroked his cock while thinking of him. The thought of Jim’s bulky biceps flexing under his palms, or his thick blond fur carding through his fingers, or his burly body wrapped tight between Leo’s arms.

Instead of rushing, Leo kept his pace languid, savoring the sensation of his slick fingers dragging over his cock as he envisioned their first kiss, Jim sweaty and heaving under him, and the gentle tenderness with which he’d kissed Leo goodnight, or the image of him licking ice cream from his fingers.

His pace stuttered as Leo approached release, and he imagined Jim letting him explore his furry body in person, and—

Leo shuddered and looked down to watch his cock spurt all over the wall of the shower with every throb of pleasure, his instincts begging for a swifter pace yet all too satisfied with a slow one. He sighed as he rested his forehead against the wall, hot water washing over his back as he stroked himself through the aftershocks until he was soft and spent. Though he’d be ready for a second round in just a few minutes, he rinsed himself and the wall, and clambered out to dry off for bed.


	10. Chapter 10

Two-thirty sharp, Leo showed up at Jim’s house. He virtually tingled with nervous excitement as he rang the doorbell. Footsteps approached from within; when the door swung open his jaw dropped.

There in the doorway stood Jim in nothing but gym shorts, drying his hair off with a towel. Rivulets of water still dripped down his wonderfully hairy body, and the image of licking them off floated into Leo’s mind.

“Hey, come on in,” Jim said. “Make yourself at home.” He stumbled over the doormat as he retreated to the bathroom, muttering a curse to himself.

After sealing out the frigid winds, Leo stood awkwardly in the hallway. He glanced into the kitchen; it had been fixed up quite a bit. The lighting had been repaired and polished. All the appliances were clean. It looked a good deal homier than it had a few weeks ago.

Leo turned to look in the den and saw new blue blankets on the couch and a modern brushed steel lamp with a pyramidal shade that wasn’t there before – far more inviting than the last time he’d been there. On a dark wood buffet behind the couch sat a few picture frames. The center photo was a monochrome picture of a clean-shaven Jim clad in his black glasses. He approached it out of curiosity and nearly fainted at the sight of Jim giving a small, boyish smile for the camera. He looked so achingly adorable Leo wanted to take a photo of it to keep, but he wasn’t sure if that’d be creepy.

To the left was a photo of him – a younger and smaller Jim – and a woman nearly twice his height, probably his mother. It was easy to see the family resemblance; she and Jim had similarly shaped faces, blond hair, blue eyes – although Jim’s were a very deep blue while his probably-mother’s looked…

Tired. She looked tired, somehow, even with the makeup and postprocessing typical of modern photo labs. With how old it must be, perhaps there had been none.

Jim’s thundering footsteps grabbed his attention; Leo returned to the threshold and nearly bumped into Jim – who _still_ wore only shorts. His hair stuck up haphazardly and his blue eyes glinted in the soft light of the hallway’s brass sconces. He caressed Leo’s jaw and gave him a tender kiss.

Leo melted into him, grabbing his hips for support. As suddenly as the kiss came, Jim pulled away. “Hi,” he murmured with a dopey grin.

“Hi,” Leo replied with a crack.

“So… you wanna do anything?”

_Far_ too many possibilities flooded Leo’s mind. “I – um…”

“Maybe we could just… watch TV for a bit, or something?”

“Sure.”

Jim brought him into the den and sat down on the couch; Leo sat next to him and tried to relax, clasping his hands together in his lap. When Jim turned on the TV he wrapped an arm around Leo, pulling him against his side to snuggle him with his head laid down on Leo’s shoulder.

Another science fiction show was on, a different one than last time. In it, a crew of a hundred or so struggled to find a new planet to colonize in an overpopulated galaxy. The show itself wasn’t particularly interesting; Leo was more engrossed in the warm, shirtless body presently holding him tight.

Jim apparently wasn’t enthralled with the show either, as his attention soon redirected to Leo. He turned to fully face him, a leg folded under him. “You doin’ good?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Leo responded, also turning to face him.

Jim lightly dragged his hands along Leo’s shoulders and arms, softly petting him. “I’m not really paying attention to the show,” he chuckled lowly.

“Me neither.”

“Can I…?” Jim half-asked, eyeline wandering down to take in all Leo.

“Um… yeah. Su—sure.”

Jim’s hands gently trailed down to Leo’s chest, massaging his pecs. “Tell me if you want me to stop,” he murmured.

“Okay…”

The show forgotten, Jim massaged Leo’s upper body for a few minutes, moving between his pecs, shoulders, and neck. Tension peaked whenever Jim’s hands touched his torso, but soon Leo relaxed into it and let Jim pet him freely. “You know, I went shirtless for a reason,” he murmured.

“And what reason’d that be?” Leo drawled.

“For one, that accent is dangerous,” he chuckled. “Two…” He grabbed one of Leo’s hands and gently held it against his pec, the furry skin tickling his palm.

Leo blushed from such close contact, Jim’s heartbeat strong under his hand. Jim rested his palms on Leo’s knees as he rubbed his muscled body.

“I thought, today we could… get to know each other a bit better,” Jim said quietly, a shy smile crossing his face.

The idea of taking _any_ of his clothes off for anyone immediately made Leo tense up and stop fondling Jim’s chest.

“We can go as fast or slow as you want. Or not at all.” He clasped a hand over Leo’s and squeezed reassuringly, holding it against his heart. “I promise.”

He worried his lip for a bit before nodding. They had to start _somewhere,_ after all. Jim smiled and brought him forward for a chaste kiss, drawing it out for a moment and nibbling on Leo’s lip. He licked the bite mark before wrapping around Leo for a hug. Once secure in his arms, Jim fell backward onto the couch, bringing Leo with him to end up sprawled across his chest like he were a giant pillow. And what a pillow he was.

Leo sat up again, straddling Jim’s lap. Jim ran his hands up and down Leo’s thighs, encouraging him further. The masculine body underneath him begged Leo to touch, and he trailed his fingers over the warm muscle. Jim tensed a bit, but he never stopped smiling that soft grin for Leo.

The pulse under Leo’s palm beat strong and steady – a bit fast, though Leo seemed to have that effect on Jim. He let his hand rest over Jim’s pec – he loved feeling Jim’s heart work – and slowly rubbed the firm, furry muscle. The burly man definitely did something to make his body hair soft and luxurious. He combed through the golden coat with his fingers, watching it bunch up between them. Jim huffed out a breath and tensed; Leo had brushed over his nipple.

Jim had sensitive nipples, did he?

Another gentle swipe over it brought about a gasp. Leo looked up to see Jim biting his lip. Rather than keep torturing Jim he trailed a finger down the valley between his pecs, teasing his lightly tanned skin. As his fingers traveled down toward Jim’s abs, the hair grew denser until the golden line of fur Leo fantasized about tickled the pad of his finger.

He glanced up at Jim, who smiled even wider. Leo rubbed a palm over the ridges of his abs, slowly petting him; the hard muscle rose and fell like mountains and valleys in the landscape of Jim’s belly into the very picture of Man. Every so often Jim tensed under him and pulled away as if ticklish, but then grew lax again.

Leo noted that the blond hair coating his best friend stretched all the way out to his obliques, and all the way up to his clavicles in a thick coat. He loved the feeling of Jim’s golden curls carding between his fingers. The trail of thicker fur running down Jim’s midriff was just as soft as Leo had thought it’d be, and he spent a few moments palming his treasure trail running down to his crotch.

“You think I should shave?” Jim asked, his chest rumbling under Leo’s hands.

“Um… uh, no, I really…” Leo mumbled, fumbling for words.

“You like it?” Jim asked coyly.

“Yeah.” He rested his palm over the sculpted abs of Jim’s belly and thumbed at the trail of soft hair affectionately, the muscle underneath slowly rising with his breath.

“I used to shave it, but…” Jim trailed his fingers along the dips in his abs. “ _These_ made it a pain in the ass.”

“Don’t get rid of it,” Leo said decisively. Every inch of Jim was a beautiful vision of manliness, and the hair all over him only added to it. To prune away the coat would be the damnedest of shames.

Jim let out a huff of amusement. “I like being hairy more anyway.”

Leo blushed and thought the same. “I like you hairy, too,” he said, stroking a hand down Jim’s tummy. He trailed curious fingers toward Jim’s arm, playing over the freckles on his thick bicep. A large vein traveled down the muscle to terminate in his hairy forearm covered in more freckles. As Jim moved his fingers, tendons and ligaments worked under the veiny skin in an orchestration of the organic machinery of the human body.

“Um… can I have a turn?” he asked, apprehension coloring his tone.

“I – uh—” Leo’s anxiety skyrocketed, but Jim patted his shoulders. “Um—”

“Do you trust me?” he asked quietly.

Jim had promised Leo on numerous occasions he wouldn’t hurt him. He promised he’d obey any demand to stop. So, with a bit of trepidation, Leo nodded.

Jim cupped his jaw and sweetly kissed him; Leo’s anxiety dissipated with the affectionate gesture. “Sit up?” Jim said, and he shifted under Leo until Leo had no choice but to get off. Jim sat upright and rubbed his hands over Leo’s arms.

Leo backed away from Jim to hesitantly, slowly lower himself on his back, and Jim straddled his lap. He lay his burly hands on Leo – one on his chest, the other over his belly button – and lazily stroked down Leo’s midriff.

“I’ve been thinking of this all day,” he chuckled. “I really… really wanted some… personal time?”

Leo tensed up as Jim’s hand met bare skin around the waistband of his pants.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, his lips turning down slightly.

Leo held his breath, but shook his head. “No,” he croaked.

Jim continued gently petting his belly for a few moments. “You’re really self-conscious, huh?”

“Uh… yeah, a little bit.”

“Tell me what you don’t like,” he said.

“I’m out of shape and… I really don’t like how I look.”

Jim furrowed his brow. “Well, that’s understandable, but…”

Leo raised an eyebrow. “But…?”

“Uh, well… you’re still growing into yourself. Maybe you’re out of shape, but you’re at a healthy weight,” Jim patted Leo’s tummy, making Leo seize up, “when so many others starve themselves to fit into a new dress or tight shirt.” Jim locked eyes with Leo and ran a hand down his arm, petting the light fur coating it. “You’re making great gains at the gym.” He gave a squeeze to Leo’s bicep. “Were your arms this big a few weeks ago?”

He hadn’t even thought of that; he’d been so concerned with how bad he looked he had never bothered to look for the good. “I can’t tell,” he answered.

“Well, they’re bigger. Stronger.” Leo tensed his arm up, and Jim squeezed his thickened bicep. “You’re adorable, funny, sharp as a razor.” Jim smiled and held a hand over Leo’s sternum, where his heart raced under the bone and flesh. “You’re… someone I care for very much.”

A whimper caught in the back of Leo’s throat. Jim kept petting him, smiling appreciatively for him.

“Can I take your shirt off?” he asked quietly.

Leo bit his lip and closed his eyes before giving Jim a hesitant nod. When Jim pressed a wet kiss to his cheek, he opened his eyes again.

“Thank you,” Jim whispered, as he hooked his fingers under Leo’s shirt. He watched with rapt attention as Jim slowly pulled the fabric up his body, first revealing a line of brown hair still growing in, inching toward Leo’s sides as he aged. Jim lit up with wonderment and ran his hand over Leo’s hairy belly, carding it through his fingers. He gave a soft gasp, as if Leo gave him an enormous gift-wrapped box. “You’ve got some fur on you,” he murmured.

“It’s – I don’t know if—”

Leo wasn’t sure what he was trying to say, but it died in his throat when Jim scooted back and awkwardly pressed a gentle kiss right in the middle of the soft hair. When he sat down again, he trailed his fingers over Leo’s abs, drinking in the sight of his bare belly. He pulled the shirt higher, revealing more of Leo’s torso, blue eyes widening as the shirt trailed higher and higher until he helped Leo wriggle out of the cloth.

“It’s on your chest, too?” he asked. A palm lightly trailed up Leo’s body until his fingers ran through the hair coating his sternum. Leo’s eyes grew wet as Jim bent over and gave another kiss to the patch of fur on his pecs. He inhaled and dragged his scruffy jaw over him. Leo had only ever thought of his hair as unsightly and messy, but Jim…

Jim practically adored it.

“Um… you uh,” he mumbled. “You smell really good.” He blushed, letting out a nervous chuckle. Leo hadn’t showered since that morning, leaving him smelling only how he did naturally – and Jim liked _that?_ “Like… a field of grass in springtime.”

Jim lay his head on Leo’s chest, riding his breath up and down as he softly petted him. Something in Leo’s chest twinged at the sight of Jim Kirk – apple of practically every school girl’s eye – kissing his chest and petting his ugly body. Although…

Maybe it wasn’t as ugly as Leo thought it was if someone like Jim could appreciate it.

Jim turned to press a long, sweet kiss right over Leo’s heart. “You’re gorgeous, Leo.” “All this manly fur all over you, that handsome face of yours…” Jim drew away to look at the whole of Leo’s features. “That adorable smile. All the bulking up you’ve done, all the muscle you’re building… you’re gonna be a heartbreaker, you know that?”

Leo held his breath, withholding the tears that constantly threatened to overflow. Jim explored every inch of Leo’s torso, smiling every moment. He seemed to pay no mind to the more disagreeable parts of him; acne (however sparse) and love handles were no concern of his. He spent a bit of time petting Leo’s arms before raising one to press a few slow kisses to his bicep.

“Sit up?” he asked. Leo pushed up into a sitting position in the middle of the couch. Jim shimmied around him and reached around his belly to thread their fingers together. He wrapped his arms around Leo, holding him close against his chest. The warm, furry body behind Leo surrounded him protectively, and Jim hooked his chin over Leo’s shoulder, nuzzling into him.

“Do you really mean all of that?” Leo asked lowly, on the brink of breaking down.

Jim hummed his assent and began stroking Leo’s belly, giving a tender kiss to his neck. “Of course I mean it,” he mumbled into his shoulder.

Leo shifted in Jim’s grasp, awkwardly turning around to face him. “Really?” Although he sounded vulnerable, he knew that _Jim_ knew he bared him raw.

“Really.” He gripped Leo’s biceps and thumbed him gently.

Leo wrapped his arms around Jim’s neck, pulling him into a tight hug. Jim curled around him in a warm embrace and fell backward on the couch again, Leo laying on him. They held each other, Jim slowly stroking down Leo’s back and petting his hair as Leo nuzzled into his neck. Jim shuffled under Leo, grabbed the remote, and shut off the TV, ending the sci-fi white noise.

Leo reared back a bit to look Jim in the eye, right as Jim pulled him in for a sweet kiss. His nose bumped Jim’s and Jim laughed, then their lips molded together, a near-perfect match for each other. When they parted, Jim’s eyes glinted from his big grin.

Leo burrowed into Jim’s chest hair, and Jim drew a soft blanket over them. He tightened his hold, keeping Leo close and safe as they slowly drifted off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

A hand petting through his hair; a kiss pressed to his head; fingers slowly scribbling meaningless shapes on his back. Leo cracked his eyes open once he really noticed the gentle touches; Jim was still wrapped around him.

Jim hummed happily to himself. “I could lay here with you all day.”

“Me too,” Leo sighed. Jim’s pecs made a wonderful pillow, his heartbeat lulling Leo to sleep and his body warm and soft from muscle and hair.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Jim whispered. He laughed before rolling over to deposit Leo on the couch, then left to answer nature’s call.

Given the chance to explore the den more thoroughly, Leo turned to look at the buffet behind the couch again. There were the photos he saw before, and a photo of a young couple with a small child – Jim, perhaps? It didn’t quite look like him, but children changed a lot in a very short time. Maybe it was his father. Jim had mentioned ‘Frank’ – and his lips curled into a snarl at the thought of Frank – but nothing about his father. The sneer slipped away when Jim plodded back to join him on the couch.

“I’m back,” he said as he sat down and held Leo’s shoulders. He rubbed Leo’s muscles under his palms and trailed a hand down to press over his heart. Leo gave him a happy smile, and Jim’s eyes lit up with joy. Jim explored Leo’s chest, running his fingers through his brunet chest hair before leaning in to give him a chaste kiss.

Leo could kiss Jim all the time. Leo _can_ kiss Jim, whenever he wanted now.

Jim bit his lip and kept his eyes focused on Leo’s chest. “Um…”

“Yeah…?”

After a moment, Jim met his eyes. “Can – can I call you my boyfriend?”

_Boyfriend_.

Jim wanted to be his boyfriend? That word meant a lot of things to Leo; commitment, intimacy, bonding, companionship…

And Jim wanted all that with him…? With _Leo?_

Jim carded through Leo’s soft body hair, looking the definition of vulnerable and scared. Leo’s heart swelled, and he smiled. “Um… uh, yeah.” Leo cringed at how flakey he sounded. “Yes, of course,” he laughed – mostly at himself.

Jim chuckled too, and pulled Leo a bit closer. His eyes traveled up and down Leo, taking in his bare torso and stopping to gaze warmly into his eyes. “This is Leo,” he said, to no one. “He’s – he’s my boyfriend.” His smile split his face and he giggled nervously, a bright blush reddening his cheeks. “I’m your boyfriend!”

Leo couldn’t help but grin until his cheeks hurt. “You’re my boyfriend,” he echoed. He cupped Jim’s – his _boyfriend’s_ – jaw and kissed him slow and tender. Jim’s hand held the back of Leo’s head, caressing him as their lips moved together. Leo’s heart pounded with excitement as they exchanged a sweet press of lips. When they parted, Jim’s face looked ready to split in half. “Mama, papa,” Leo mimicked. “This is m—my boyfriend, Jim.”

Jim’s smile gave way to an open-mouthed stare. “You wanna introduce me as… your boyfriend to your parents?”

“I – uh—” had he just ruined the moment?

“I’d love that,” he exclaimed. He drew Leo forward to hug him tight, burying his face in Leo’s neck. Jim sighed contentedly as Leo wrapped around him and stroked down his back. Jim fell back so Leo was on top of him as he more intently palmed his body. He froze when Jim’s erection pressed against his.

Jim paused, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Leo? What’s wrong?”

“Um – I’m—” He climbed off Jim and clasped his hands over his lap.

“Aw, Leo,” Jim murmured. He smiled and patted Leo’s arms, even as his cock remained stiff, easily tenting his workout shorts. “We don’t have to go any further, okay? I was just… a little excited to be holding you.”

Leo looked at anything except Jim; the coffee table, the rug, the blanket that had fallen to the floor. A gentle touch to his jaw brought his attention back to his boyfriend.

“Leo, it’s okay to want to go slow.” He laughed quietly as he said, “It’s okay to want to hide your boner.”

A hot red of shame flushed Leo’s face.

“You don’t have to hide it around me, though. That’s part of being your boyfriend. You don’t _have_ to hide anything.”

_Whew_. Leo relaxed his hands and let them rest on his knees.

“There you go.” Jim stroked Leo’s arms. He did glance down to look at Leo’s crotch, though. “Let’s do something else for a while, though.”

“Well… the ACTs are in a few weeks. I brought my study manual.”

“Okay.”

 

* * *

 

Studying was mostly productive, in the sense that they worked through about thirty pages of material over the next two hours – most of it part of a practice exam.

As soon as they started, Jim sat behind Leo on his bed and wrapped around him, gently petting his belly and reading over his shoulder. Though they’d absolutely not get the chance to collaborate during the real ACT, Jim and Leo helped figure out each other’s weak points.

Eventually the tension from having someone touch him so intimately completely bled away, replaced with a warm contentment. The lava lamp on Jim’s dresser, the purple goo floating up and sinking down, brought a smile to Leo’s lips as he thought of Jim’s excitement over the simple gift.

Some time after the first hour, Jim switched places so Leo hugged him while they worked. Leo took a special pleasure in stroking his boyfriend’s tummy, having mentally replaced ‘Jim’ in his head with ‘my boyfriend’ in as many ways as he could think.

When a loud growling noise filled the room, Leo patted his Jim’s stomach.

“Hungry?”

Jim hummed in amusement. “Yeah. You?”

“Famished,” Leo said.

Jim unlocked his computer – a machine that looked to be nearly a decade old – and found a simple tuna melt recipe after a few minutes of searching online. He left to prepare dinner, leaving Leo to his own devices.

Jim’s bedroom was fairly cozy, a small bed in one corner that forced cuddling were they both to use it at the same time – a definite plus – his desk and ancient computer in another. A dresser and bookshelf elsewhere. The pale shag carpet helped to keep the room warm, and a small table in the center (much like in Leo’s room) provided function.

Leo approached the bookshelf and began cataloguing Jim’s reading preferences. Immediately, several big names popped out. Vonnegut, Palahniuk, Waugh, Woolf, Faulkner, Adams, Lord Byron; some Leo hadn’t heard of, and many he shared a preference for. He pulled a large novel out – _The Reivers_ – to see it well-worn from Jim reading and dog-earing and—perhaps it was a second-hand copy, actually.

He was thumbing through his copy of _Jailbird_ when Jim returned with two plates of tuna melts sliced into eighths and a side of assorted fresh fruit. Jim set the plates down on the bed. Leo joined him, picking up a piece and examining it; celery, onion, and parsley at least were in the tuna salad. He went to take a bite, but Jim grabbed his wrist and gingerly took it, only to offer it to Leo himself.

Jim wanted to feed each other again it seemed.

Leo let Jim carefully feed him the chunk of sandwich, only to wrap his lips around Jim’s thumb as he withdrew. Jim speared an orange slice with a fork. He brought it to Leo’s lips and nearly dropped it in surprise when Leo shoved a slice of sandwich in front of him. Jim opened up to let him feed him, sucking on Leo’s finger as he withdrew. He grabbed Leo’s wrist and pressed a soft kiss to the fingertip, lips lightly tickling him. Leo laughed around his food, and Jim let out a muffled chuckle.

They offered fish sandwiches and fruit salad to each other for a silent few minutes, enjoying the closeness and dopey grins. It hit Leo that in the course of a single day, Jim got him to relax and let himself just _be_ around the other man, shirt on or otherwise.

When they finished their meal, Jim moved the plates to the table and brought Leo to sit on his lap facing each other. Leo’s head was a good few inches above Jim’s as he sat on his thighs, giving Jim a good vantage point to palm his chest and press kisses to his shoulder. Leo busied himself with rubbing Jim’s back and caressing his neck.

“So you wanna tell your parents?” he asked, before nuzzling under Leo’s chin.

Leo’s mind wandered to situations that – as of right now – were only hypothetical. What a relief it’d be to not have to hide how he felt for Jim, to not have to worry where his parents were if Jim wanted to cuddle or share a kiss. Maybe he could even ask for date ideas or other advice…

“Yeah… yeah, I do,” he murmured.

“Um… when do you wanna do that?” Jim asked, looking up into Leo’s eyes.

Several possible times came to mind, but none popped out as the ‘best’ time.

“How about… Wednesday?” Jim offered. “Maybe during dinner? Or after?”

“Near the end?” Leo asked.

Jim kissed Leo’s neck – would he ever grow weary of that? “Sounds good to me.”

“That gives me time to think of what to say.” Leo felt a little nauseated thinking about it if he were quite honest. No matter how well it went, it was a big step – for both of them. They were each other’s first when they came out…

But _parents?_

“You’re nervous,” Jim said. He locked eyes with Leo for a long, silent moment. “I know how you feel. I felt the same before I told Frank.”

The main difference was Leo’s parents were not _abusive_.

“It’ll be fine,” Jim said, petting Leo’s arms. “I’ll be right there with you.”

“Okay…” Leo mumbled. He glanced at the clock; nearly nine. “I should probably get going, it’s getting late.”

“Okay.”

Jim led Leo back to the den, backpack in tow, where he recovered his shirt. He pulled it on and donned his shoes and jacket, then met Jim at the door.

“I’ll see you later,” Jim said lowly, before lifting Leo’s chin to give him an open-mouthed kiss. For a few, brief moments he forgot about their impending reveal to his parents. When they parted, Jim ruffled Leo’s tousled hair and smiled softly. “You’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.”

Leo blushed and looked down. “I’ll see you later, Jim.”

With that he stepped out into the cold to head home and contemplate Wednesday.

 

* * *

 

Leo finished bathing before bed and checked himself out in the mirror once more. Just a month ago he looked upon himself with great criticism. Now, whenever his inner voice chimed in to tell him how _ugly_ his chest hair was, or how _pudgy_ he was, or how _weak_ he was…

Instead he thought of his boyfriend petting him and kissing his chest. He thought of Jim caressing his arms and squeezing his biceps in appreciation of how strong Leo was growing to be. He thought of the man (who seemed to be so much bigger than him) burrowing his face in Leo with a happy smile.

Maybe he didn’t look as bad as he had thought. Not if Jim so treasured him.

He had, however, started paying more attention to his male grooming; he may have also begun conditioning his body hair, though nobody had to know that.

He gave his tummy a pat; neither did it jiggle nor feel as ‘mushy’ as he’d said he felt, not compared to before he began working out. Running a hand down his belly, it certainly felt flatter. Did he look wider? Taller? How Jim had noticed that his arms were bigger, Leo wasn’t sure, as his opinion of them had not changed – at the very least, his backpack no longer felt so heavy.

Perhaps it was the adoration Jim had showered on his chest hair creating some sort of psychic illusion, but it looked filled in; nowhere near as patchy as before.

Leo smiled in the mirror; his reflection wasn’t quite so off-putting anymore.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See end of chapter for notice of potentially discomforting material. Please note this notice is a spoiler.

That weekend, Leo distracted himself with homework. Every time the thought of how to tell his parents he was dating the captain of the rugby team popped in his head, he pushed the thoughts away with cold, hard math. They had been less than thrilled when he said he hadn’t made the cut for the team – not that he had quit – but this was far more significant.

Leo would describe himself as ‘tense.’

‘Anxious’ was probably more accurate.

‘A nervous wreck’ was spot on.

School barely alleviated the jitters. English was a drag; History was just as slow. It wasn’t until lunchtime that he realized just how bad it was.

He sat in the library, unable to focus on Calculus when Jim sat next to him.

“Hey,” he said lowly. “How are you holding up?”

“Honestly, I’m a complete mess. I keep thinkin’ about all the ways it could go bad and I’m just…”

“Hey,” Jim said, reaching for Leo’s hand, before halting. Neither of them had talked about going public; precedent so far suggested neither of them _wanted_ to go public. “It’ll be fine, I’ll be right there.”

“You can’t promise it’ll go fine,” Leo hissed.

Jim shrunk a bit. “Okay, I can’t promise that. But I can promise I’ll be there.”

Leo sighed and rubbed his temples. “I’m sorry, it’s just… nerve-wracking.”

“I went through the same thing before I came over that one night. Awful shit.” Jim pulled out his own work and stared at it.

“I’ll be okay,” Leo insisted, more to himself than Jim. “I’ll be fine. I’m just… coming out to my parents.” He paused, and a sick cold spread through his gut. “Oh god, Jim, is this a terrible idea?”

Jim tapped his pencil on the table for a moment, then locked eyes with Leo. “Do you wanna wait?”

“I – I – I don’t know…” he stammered before shrugging helplessly. “I don’t know,” he trailed off, resting his head in his hands.

“How about… you tell me why you want to tell them. Maybe that will help?”

“Well… we won’t have to hide,” Leo said after a moment.

“That’ll be nice.” He leaned in and whispered, “You can kiss me whenever you want.”

Leo shot him a glare, but at the sight of his boyfriend smirking he couldn’t help but relax a bit.

“I do like kissing you,” Jim said in a low voice, waggling his bushy eyebrows.

“I – I want them to know about you,” Leo said – hesitant at first, resolute by the end.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah! I don’t wanna hide you, you deserve better ‘n that.”

Jim’s smile widened. “Well, just, get’cher head in the game, okay? How about we do some math, get your mind off it?” He scooted closer to share Leo’s textbook.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to do…” Leo let his head fall to his folded arms on the table.

“Come on, you have our workout to look forward to. We start free weights today.”

Leo took a few deep breaths and tried his best to clear his mind of the many worst-case scenarios floating through it.

“Hey,” Jim said, nudging Leo with his elbow. “How about to cheer you up, I’ll go shirtless while I show you which lifts target what muscle groups?”

Jim gave a little wink, and his mind filled with visions of his best friend’s musculature working and flexing as sweat dripped down him. He blushed before a grin split his expression, and he buried his face in his book to hide his embarrassment.

 

* * *

 

Their workout turned out to be a great distraction, with not a small bit of thanks to Jim keeping his word and demonstrating exercises shirtless. Leo was more than a little excited to watch every flex and bulge of sweaty, hairy muscle.

The stick of precum in his shorts was a less fortunate distraction.

The most distracting part, however, had been the enormity of his exhaustion by the end of it; thinking was more of an optional activity. Free weights were more exhausting than any machine he used, a fact Jim made infinitely clear to him before they had begun.

_‘Free weights work out a bunch of muscles at once, so you’ll want to be extra careful to rehydrate and fill up on a good, healthy meal.’_

The pleasant post-workout aches were less pleasant, more intense today; his thoughts were dulled by the afterburn for several hours.

That evening, Leo’s piano lesson ultimately failed to completely take his mind off it. Mrs. Sirel finally stopped him at one point and closed his music folder.

“Leonard,” she said, taking her reading glasses off and folding them. “Your performing isn’t up to your usual standards. Are you feeling all right?”

Leo massaged the bridge of his nose and rested an elbow on the keyboard, hitting B, C, C#, and D in a dissonant blat of noise. It vaguely hurt his ulnar nerve. “No, I’m… really not feelin’ so great.”

“Is something bothering you?”

Leo looked at Mrs. Sirel – normally a somewhat aloof lady in her late fifties. She was nice enough and an entertaining teacher, but not exactly someone he could confide in.

“No, I’m jus’ not feelin’ so great.”

“Do you want to stop? We can make up the time next week if you need to.”

Mrs. Sirel fixated her dim green eyes on him expectantly; he already felt guilty enough about wasting her time…

“Yeah… I think it’d be for the best.”

“Okay. In that case…”

Leo watched her write his assignment down, finish the tea David made for her, then bid him farewell, every second of which only made him feel guiltier.

Tuesday brought no relief. Chris chastised him for failing to properly coach his assigned groups, and with games starting next Wednesday, every player needed to be at peak performance.

While Leo gathered equipment to put away, Jim held back to talk to him while the other players hit the showers.

“Hey,” he huffed out. “How are you doin’?” Jim patted him on the back as he stuffed rugby balls into a netted bag.

Leo sighed and looked up to meet the eyes of his boyfriend – he’d never tire of referring to Jim as his boyfriend. His brow was furrowed and his lips turned down in concern.

“I’m fine,” he said. Leo growled and shook his head. “No, I’m not…”

“Talk to me?” Jim asked, running a hand down Leo’s back.

“I just – it—” he growled again, unable to formulate his thoughts.

“Leo, just… breathe for a moment.” Jim led him to a bench and resumed stroking down his spine. “Tell me what you’re thinking,” he asked again.

Leo took a few moments to breathe and find a good mental center. Eventually he glanced at Jim again. “I’m really worried about this,” he mumbled. “This isn’t some… small thing that I can just take back like any faux pas at one of mama’s house parties.” Jim nodded in understanding. “This’ll completely change my relationship with my parents, forever…”

“Well…” Jim started, gripping Leo’s shoulder. “I – Leo, I—”

“Yeah?” he asked quietly.

Jim petted his shoulder for a moment, nervously fiddling with his shorts with his free hand. “It means a lot to me, that you’re willing to do this.” He gave a gentle pat to Leo’s thigh. “That you’re practically eating yourself alive from anxiety, all for me.”

“Well… you know what I say,” Leo mumbled. His voice wavered, and nearly cracked. “Nothin’ worth doin’ is easy.”

Jim squeezed his shoulder affectionately, holding him close to his side. They sat that way for a few more moments before Jim released him and stood to leave.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Try not to worry too much.”

 

* * *

 

The clock completely consumed Leo’s attention. Not even Jim constantly attempting to distract him did much good.

Eleanora had made it clear that dinner would be ready by quarter after six, giving them another twenty minutes of peace. It wasn’t a very peaceful peace, though; Leo couldn’t focus on Chemistry, or Spanish, or History, or anything other than the rapidly approaching meal and reveal. He gnawed through another of his fingernails before Jim grabbed his wrist and slowly pulled it away.

“Leo, you’ve been biting through your fingernails like they’re candy.” Jim’s brow furrowed with worry.

“Well, I can’t stop thinking about what I’m gonna say. None of it sounds right. I just…” He shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Jim threaded their fingers together and stroked Leo’s hand. “Nobody does,” he said quietly. “You just have to feel it out. Come on.” He tugged Leo to his feet. “Let’s just sit on the couch, okay?”

Leo allowed Jim to bodily walk him over to the couch, where they sat facing each other. Jim drew him into a hug and stroked a hand down Leo’s back.

“Everything will be fine, okay? Just breathe.” Leo tightened his arms and buried his face in Jim’s neck, breathing in his earthen scent. “There you go, just relax, okay?”

Wanting to just live in the moment of holding his boyfriend, Leo shut his eyes and held onto the warm man gently petting him. He pressed a kiss under his jaw, and Jim hugged him closer.

When Jim began slowly rocking them, he took a deep breath and let it out through his nose, trying to calm his racing heart.

“I’ll be right there with you,” Jim promised. “’m not going anywhere, okay?”

“Okay,” Leo mumbled into his shoulder.

After a few moments of silence, Jim patted him and spoke. “Would it help if I reminded you that it means a lot to me that you wanna do this?”

“Maybe.” Yes. It also helped to remind himself that he _wanted_ to tell his parents, especially for someone like Jim. Jim who had worked his hand under Leo’s shirt, and now stroked bare skin.

“Boys! Supper’s ready!” called Eleanora, voice echoing through the house.

“Here we go,” Jim said. He patted Leo’s back and kissed his cheek before standing to leave the room. After a moment, Leo followed to the kitchen, where Eleanora and David busied themselves with setting the table.

Jim sat down along one side of the long table and Leo sat to his left. In front of them was a spread of barbequed pulled pork, whole wheat buns, fried okra, and sweet and spicy coleslaw. All of which Leo would practically inhale were he not so sick with anxiety

“Thank you for having me again, Mrs. McCoy,” Jim said; he had become a semi-regular fixture of their dinners.

“Oh, don’t you worry your sweet little head over it, dear. I’m jus’ happy to have someone so appreciative of my cookin’.”

“It’s really no burden,” David added. “Anyone half as good a friend of Leonard’s as you are would be welcome here.”

Once silverware was out, they sat down across the table – David in front of Leo, and Eleanora in front of Jim. “Well, dig in!”

All except Leo promptly reached for the hoagies to load them up with pulled pork, while Leo stared sadly at the meal normally delicious, presently unappetizing. He gave a sidelong glance to the man sitting at his side and received an encouraging smile. So, he spooned some coleslaw onto his plate and piled pork on a hoagie. The pork smelled a particular sweet that at the moment was sickening, and the coleslaw was an unappealing pale green. Even though his stomach roiled, Leo started on his sandwich.

“So today at the hospital,” David said, chuckling around a mouthful of food. “Someone accidentally superglued their hand to their junk.”

Jim nearly choked on coleslaw. “What?!” He laughed loudly and looked at Leo expectantly, but Leo remained quiet.

“Yeah, had to try four differen’ things to get it unstuck.” He took a bite of fried okra and shook his head. “Mm mm mm, Elly I will never tire of your fried okra.”

“Good, cuz I never tire of makin’ it. So how’d this poor sap get his equipment unstuck?”

Try as he might to eat, Leo ultimately couldn’t continue, and shoved coleslaw around with a fork. His fried okra remained untouched. He gazed over at Jim – he was beet red from the conversation going on between the couple sitting on the other side of the dining table.

“Well,” David began, chewing on okra. “Firs’ we tried peelin’ it an’ he didn’ like that at all,” he chuckled. “He refused to try acetone an’ I don’t blame him one bit.”

“Please make it stop,” Jim whispered to Leo.

_I can’t_ , he mouthed back.

“He tried—” his father said, before breaking into laughter. He huffed out chuckles through his nose and pounded the table with a palm. “Then we tried petroleum jelly an’ that just made a big mess.”

“Oh Lord,” Eleanora groaned. “I’m afraid of how this ends.”

“ _Please,_ ” Jim begged under his breath. David’s story proved an ineffective diversion. Leo stared at his plate, waiting for the best opportunity to butt in.

“No no wait, it gets better,” David said, holding out a hand to stop Eleanora from continuing. “It gets better; what worked was _margarine_.” He drew out the word much longer than Leo thought necessary. “This poor sap,” the man continued, “slicked his tool up with _margarine_ an’ that’s what got him out.”

“David I don’t even wanna know what other shenanigans your hospital wing gets into. Who even keeps margarine in a hospital?”

“I don’t know!” David cackled, turning red in the face and scrunching his eyes. Eleanora shook her head and chuckled in bemusement. David turned to view Leo and Jim’s reactions, but paused at Leo. “Why son,” he said, entire expression falling. “You look like you darn seen a ghost.”

“I’m fine,” he mumbled. A hand gently stroking his knee prompted him to glance at Jim, who gave an encouraging smile. Leo turned back to face his parents and gave a fake smile. David just raised an eyebrow; his mother was occupied with getting the last of her coleslaw on her fork.

“Well alright.”

The rest of dinner passed in relative silence, someone occasionally asking to pass something or a comment on how the food tasted delicious. When his parents were patting napkins against their lips, Leo cleared his throat.

“Um… mama, papa, I got somethin’ I wanna say,” he drawled. Jim’s hand gently squeezed his knee.

“Yes?” Eleanora asked.

“Uh… um… well, you – you know Jim, already, but um…” The hand began stroking his thigh. “We – him and I – we’ve been… dating. He’s – he’s my boyfriend.”

Silence. The two adults just stared; Leo wished the earth would open up and swallow him whole.

“It – it’s been goin’ on for a couple weeks and – and I – um – I c—care for him a lot and—”

“ _What?_ “

Leo felt the blood drain from his face. Eleanora gaped as if he’d slapped her. Jim tightened his grip on Leo’s leg, thumbing his thigh in tiny circles.

His mother took David’s hand. “How serious is this? ‘Cause it’s all fine an’ dandy to experiment a little, that sorta thing’s natural at your age. But that don’t mean you should go jumpin’ into anything just ‘cause some boy comes along wantin’ to corrupt you or—”

“ _Mama_ ,” Leo loudly interrupted. “Jim didn’t ‘corrupt’ me. I’m—”

Now or never.

“I’m gay, mama,” he continued, quieter now. “I’ve known that for a long time. I just… didn’t think it was worth bringing up until I met someone.”

Although he had good intentions – sharing someone important with his family – now Leo regretted ever entertaining the idea.

“Oh you sweet little thing,” she said, code for ‘What has possessed you?’ “You’re young, you don’ know any better. You just haven’t met the right girl yet.”

“ _No,_ ” Leo insisted, his heart pounding in his chest. “I’m sure about this.”

Eleanora gave him the dismissive smile of a parent thinking they know better. David, on the other hand, shot an angry glare at his wife. “Leonard, you’re too young to be makin’ decisions about who you like an’ who you don’t.”

Feeling like he may throw up, Leo dropped his eyeline to the table sadly, letting his arm hang limp at his side. Jim threaded their fingers together, gripping tightly.

“Why at my age I—”

“That is quite enough,” David roared, making everyone else flinch.

Eleanora ripped her hand away like she’d been burned, gaping wide-eyed at the man adjacent to her. “David Andrew McCoy,” she said forcefully. “What has gotten into you?”

“No, _Eleanora,_ what has gotten into _you?_ You are way outta line, talkin’ to your only child like that. If Leonard likes the boy then dammit, he is as welcome as a girl would be.”

She furrowed her brow in indignation. “You – you knew about this, didn’t you? Did he talk to you already? Get you over on his side?”

“ _No,_ he didn’t. Though I did know about it before this.”

Leo looked up and met his mother’s confused expression. A glance to the side met Jim searching his father, equally perplexed.

“One mornin’ I was creepin’ down to the kitchen to whip up somethin’ for myself an’ his door was cracked open at seven in the AM. Seemed strange cuz he usually sleeps in, so I looked in to see if he was okay.” He glanced over at Leo and gave him a small smile. “I saw those two huggin’ on the floor in their pajamas, Jim givin’ Leonard a kiss to his neck. Was just about the sweetest darn thing I’d ever seen.”

Leo blushed furiously at the revelation that his father witnessed their intimate moment. Jim was a comparable hue, and avoided eye contact with anyone.

David turned to look at Leo and lay a hand on his forearm still bearing weight on the table. “Son, I’m happy so long as you’re happy,” he said as reassuring as he could muster. “Be it with a boy or a girl.” He waved a hand vaguely, and Eleanora raised her eyebrows in confusion.

“But David, he—”

“That is _enough,_ ” he insisted, his tone acidic as he glared at his wife. “If the boy is happy, that’s all that matters. You two,” he pointed to Leo and Jim, “can leave if you want. Elly and I are gonna have a talk. An’ don’t bother with your dishes,” he added as an afterthought.

“Okay sir,” Jim said. He stood and, still holding Leo’s hand, brought him back to Leo’s room.

Jim sat Leo on the loveseat and gazed into his eyes, obviously worried.

“Leo?” Jim asked quietly, squeezing his hand and petting the back. “Are you okay?”

Leo slowly shook his head. “No,” he mumbled. He stared right through Jim as he contemplated how awful tonight had gone – and how much worse it could have been.

“Can I do anything?” Jim asked. He almost sounded pleading.

“I dunno.” _How do you help someone who just had his heart stomped by his mother?_

“Will you tell me if you think of something?”

He nodded and his voice cracked as he said, “Okay.”

“C’mere,” Jim said as he drew Leo between his strong arms, holding him tight.

Leo wasn’t sure how long they sat on his couch, holding each other as Jim stroked down his back. Occasionally, Leo heard a quiet “I’m right here,” or felt a gentle kiss to his neck; Leo tightened his hold on his boyfriend and burrowed further into his shoulder.

He didn’t understand why she would be so critical of him, or of Jim. How she could say such awful things of someone Leo cared so greatly for? How could she so vehemently dismiss something like this? He hadn’t chosen to be gay. He hadn’t chosen to care for another man. Hot anger flashed to mix with sickening grief and another wave of nausea hit him.

“Jim?” he mumbled, quiet and tiny.

He patted Leo’s shoulder. “Yeah?”

“I don’t understand how she can think any of that. An’ she said such… horrible things about you an’ you just…”

“I don’t care what she thinks anymore, Leo. I care about what you think, what your father thinks.”

Leo pulled away to look at his boyfriend; eyes so beautiful and blue as his shouldn’t look so sad and concerned. When he spoke, it sounded watery, and a dead, twisting pain plagued his chest.

“My mama always loved me, no matter what, but…” he met Jim’s eyes and through cottonmouth he said, “she doesn’t love this.”

“It’ll be okay, Leo,” Jim promised. He stroked up and down Leo’s arms, trying so hard to soothe him that it broke something in Leo. A few tears dripped down his cheeks, and Jim wiped them away with his thumbs. “It’ll be okay.”

He carded through Leo’s hair as he tried to look away, now desperate to hide his moment of weakness.

“Hey,” Jim whispered. “Don’t be ashamed, okay?”

Jim gently turned Leo to face him again. Why he would want to see Leo so stricken with sadness, he wasn’t sure. Maybe he wanted to be let in – even when he’d hit a low point.

“Alright,” Leo whispered. Jim pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Um… I’m gonna use the bathroom.”

“Okay.”

Leo pulled away from Jim’s warm, gentle grip and entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He sat on the tile near the toilet – just in case. His nausea had not abated, and the mix of foul emotions made him hyper aware of his racing pulse. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, letting it out from pursed lips.

Every second felt like an eternity, unable to drag his mind away from his mother’s criticism and his parents’ fight. Over _him._ Over _Jim_. If his mother didn’t approve of them, that would be all the more stress on a relationship at such a vulnerable point in their lives – what with school, peer pressure, and homophobia’s abundance creating a smorgasbord of stress. Making a romance work with all of that…? He brought his knees up and hugged them tight, resting his cheek on one.

A small aeon later, a knock at the door roused his attention.

“Yeah?” he said weakly.

Jim’s concerned voice carried through the door. “You’ve been in there for a while. Are you okay?”

“No,” he mumbled into his knee.

Silence for a moment. “Can I come in?”

“Okay.”

Jim slowly opened the door, only to frown at the sight of Leo on the floor. He tiptoed over and knelt in front of him, grasping a shoulder. “Oh, Leo,” he sighed, and took a seat proper next to him, letting his head rest against the wall. “How are you feeling?”

“Angry. Sad. Sick.”

Jim pulled him closer, his warmth a welcome comfort, though it did little to relieve his present distress. “Anything else?”

Leo tilted his head to look at his boyfriend. He gazed at Leo, his brow furrowed with concern and his blue eyes compassionate. “Hurt,” he whispered.

Jim rearranged himself so he faced Leo. Following suit, Leo spun too and Jim took his hands to start stroking them. “Look, I – I know we haven’t been together that long, but…” Jim glanced away, then back to Leo. “In that time, I’ve gotten to know you, to see how brilliant you are. But I’ve also seen how funny and thoughtful you are… and I’ve seen that under that shy and sometimes gruff exterior beats a sweet and caring heart.”

Jim’s heartfelt words gripped Leo tight in his chest, and a few more tears fell down his cheeks, prompting Jim to brush them away with a thumb.

“You deserve to feel cared for too, whether you’re hurting or not. I know tonight didn’t go very well, but your mom will come around eventually. She has to – she’s your _mom_. But until that day, I’m here for you.”

Something in Leo broke; he let out a single sob, and Jim wordlessly pulled Leo in his lap and wrapped around him, stroking down his back.

“It’ll be okay,” he whispered as Leo shuddered silently.

For a few minutes Leo held on as his boyfriend tried his best to comfort him. When he finally pulled away, Jim looked him in the eyes, his own still filled with worry.

“Leo? Can I… stay the night?”

Leo sniffed and raised an eyebrow, still incredulous despite all Jim’s already done for him. “You want to?”

He paused and rubbed Leo’s arms. “I don’t want to leave you alone tonight.”

Leo closed his eyes and nodded. “Please…”

“Okay.” Jim clambered out from under him and stood, holding out a hand to lift Leo to his feet. “Um… what do you want to do? It’s only seven thirty.”

Sniffling again, Leo shrugged. “I dunno.”

“Movie?” Maybe they could watch a comedy, something to lift Leo’s spirits.

“Sure.”

After washing his face and blowing his nose, Leo met Jim out on the couch, where he’d already picked out a comedian on television instead – it was basically a movie, anyway. He had laid himself down on the couch and now held his arms out in invitation. Leo slowly approached and – careful not to knee him in delicate areas – lay on top of him, burrowing into his muscled chest as Jim surrounded him with bulky arms. He gave Leo a soft, tender kiss to the lips and turned up the TV.

The comedy tour was distracting enough, and although Jim laughed a lot louder than Leo did, it still cheered him up a bit. His chuckles reverberated in his chest, a comforting sort of rumble felt in his body that reminded him that the man holding him cared for him dearly.

By eight thirty, his stomach was growling – loud enough that Jim heard it.

“Want some food?” he asked, stroking Leo’s neck.

“I could eat.”

“Are you comfortable getting it yourself?” Jim met his eyes, still gently petting him.

He slowly shook his head. The idea of his parents seeing him when he probably looked ugly as sin from his crying spell only made him queasy again.

“Dinner leftovers okay?”

“Yeah.”

Jim thoughtfully sat Leo on the couch before strolling purposefully toward the kitchen. After a few minutes of not-so-entertaining comedy show, he came back with a tray of piping hot okra, pork, and chilled coleslaw.

“Alright, eat up.” Jim sat at his side and stroked his back as he ate his meal. The spicy pork didn’t have a hoagie with it – not that it needed one – and the okra was a little soggy from being microwaved, but otherwise it was fairly filling.

By nine, the comedian had changed, but Leo was exhausted. He didn’t feel up to an evening shower; instead he went about brushing his teeth and doing late night grooming instead. When he finished, he discovered Jim mulling through a small bag of toiletries, thick black glasses framing his face.

“Did – did you go home to get all that?” Leo asked, incredulous.

“Actually,” Jim started, rubbing his neck sheepishly. “I started carrying a small pack of things in my backpack in case my contacts get dirty. I just added my toothbrush and stuff in case of... impromptu sleepovers,” he said lowly, a shy smile stretching his lips.

A knock at the door disturbed his thoughts.

“Hello?” Leo asked hesitantly.

“It’s your papa,” David replied. A brief silence. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah.”

David opened the door and stepped into the room only to frown at the sight of Leo, whose eyes were likely red and face flush from previously shed tears. “Aw, son. I’m sorry,” he mumbled, walking across the room to hug Leo tightly, squeezing air out of his lungs. “I’m so sorry.”

Leo tried to pat his father’s back, but the compression around his arms made it virtually impossible. “It’s okay,” he choked out.

David released him and glanced down at Jim fiddling with his shaving bag contents on the low set table. He padded over to Leo’s bed and sat down, hands in his lap.

“Look I – I’m sorry you had to experience that, both of you. I had a long talk with your mama and she won’t be botherin’ either of you about this again. But if she does... you tell me, ya hear?”

“Yes sir,” Jim said.

“But… why did you let her keep going?” Leo asked sadly.

“I was—” David sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I was hopin’ she’d backtrack or say somethin’ to make up for it, but I guess I was wrong…”

Leo sat next to Jim, taking his hand as he looked sadly at the carpet.

“I was also kinda jus’... shocked that my Elly would say somethin’ like that. I should’a stepped in sooner. I’m sorry Leonard, I’ve failed as a father.”

Leo shook his head and finally looked up at David’s face. “Papa, it’s o—”

“Don’t you dare say ‘it’s okay,’ young man,” David interrupted sternly. “It is not okay. I jus’ – I’m sorry, an’ you don’t have to feel pressured to forgive me any time soon.”

If his father felt bad, there wasn’t much else Leo could say to assuage him; David was stubborn as a mule when he made up his mind. Rather than contest him, Leo nodded slowly.

“You know,” David said, stroking his chin. “I could try to make it up to you.”

Leo and Jim exchanged suspicious glances. “How so, sir?” Jim asked slowly.

“Well, datin’ was a lot cheaper back when I was your age, an’ with the economy so bad I suppose I could help out with payin’ for ‘em… after tonight, ya’ll deserve somethin’ nice, so...” David typed something on his phone, and Leo’s vibrated on his nightstand a moment later. “There’s this fantastic Mexican restaurant downtown you should try, I brought your mama there once on our anniversary. I texted you the name of the place.”

Leo looked at Jim, who shrugged, then returned his attention to David.

His father fumbled for his wallet and dug around for some cash. “An’ here’s a couple bills.” David handed him sixty dollars. “That should pay for it.”

“What? But you—”

“No buts, young man! I feel bad enough, jus’ take the money an’ have a good time with your boyfriend.”

Leo reluctantly laid the money on the table behind him.

“Speakin of which…”

“Oh no,” Leo whispered. Jim glanced to him, brow furrowed in confusion.

“I uh – you um – you’re a growin’ boy, Leonard, an’ growin’ boys have needs, an’ uh…”

Leo’s face burned hot; he glanced at Jim and saw a smile creep to his lips.

“Well I know you’re smart ‘nough to be… _safe_ so um…”

Jim’s smile widened until he looked like the cat who ate the canary. Leo simmered with mortification.

“Make sure ya’ll use a condom, and… properly lube, ya hear?”

Leo buried his face in his hands, silently praying to whomever may be listening for the earth to open up and swallow him whole.

“At leas’ ya’ll can’t get pregnant if it… breaks…” David’s face turned bright red. “I – I think I hear Elly callin’, I’ll talk to ya’ll later,” he hurriedly said, before clambering off the bed and slamming the door behind him.

Jim cackled and clapped Leo on the shoulder. “Oh my god! That was so bad!”

Leo growled and pulled away. “Don’t touch me,” he groaned.

“Aw, come on! He’s your dad! He’s just trying to help.”

“Well he can do that without embarrassin’ me!”

Jim patted his back until Leo less wanted to spontaneously combust. “I’m gonna go brush, then let’s go to bed, okay?”

“Alright.”

Leo locked the door and prepared his bed – same blankets this time – and took the side further from the wall. Jim returned – now in loose shorts – and took the other, crawling next to Leo. He watched Jim peel his shirt off, hem-upward, showing off his sculpted body.

“Um…” Leo started, another blush creeping up his cheeks. “Do you want me to take off my shirt?”

“Do _you_ wanna take off your shirt?” Jim countered. He sat on his haunches, smiling encouragingly.

“Um… yeah, yeah I do.” Trying to replicate what Jim did, he gripped the bottom of his shirt and pulled upward, but it stuck around his neck, prompting Jim to chuckle and extricate him from the clothing.

With both of them half-nude, Jim properly sat on his side of the bed and pulled Leo closer by the biceps. “There you go,” he said quietly. He took a few moments petting Leo’s shoulders. “Everything’ll be okay, Leo, don’t you worry.”

The calm, quiet voice of his boyfriend coupled with his soothing pets did wonders to relax him, and he gently ran his hands along Jim’s upper arms. “I know. It just…”

“Hurts.”

“Yeah…”

“Do you regret telling them? About us?”

Jim bit his lip, as if steeling himself for Leo’s answer. On the one hand, his mother wasn’t appreciative of his relationship at all; on the other, his father’s support and the two of them knowing in general was a big relief. “No.”

His boyfriend let out a breath through his nose and pulled Leo closer, gripping his biceps and pressed a soft kiss to Leo’s lips. He kept his mouth closed this time, keeping it chaste, though his scruff tickled Leo’s lips.

When he pulled away, he pulled Leo closer and ran the tips of his fingers down Leo’s back. “Nothing worth doing is easy.”

Leo sighed and shook his head. “It really isn’t.”

They lay down and Jim pulled the blankets up over them before wrapping himself around Leo, holding him close. Leo hugged him back, embracing the warm, furry muscle of Jim’s body and relaxing into his arms.

“It’ll be okay,” Jim promised, stroking a hand down Leo’s back. The gentle petting continued until Leo drifted off to sleep, surrounded by the warmth and strength of his boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leo's mother expresses homophobic attitudes.
> 
> Additionally, second-hand embarrassment.


	12. Chapter 12

The gentle snuffling from the warm body tenderly wrapped around him finally roused Leo from sleep. He opened his eyes to see a scruffy man still fast asleep.

In the middle of the night, Jim had migrated further toward the wall, sandwiching himself between it and Leo. A glance over his shoulder at the clock told him it wasn’t even six thirty – not enough time to lay there and enjoy his boyfriend hugging him for much longer, if Jim were to leave and get ready for classes.

But, it _was_ enough for a little personal time. He stroked a hand down Jim’s back as he took in his appearance: Jim’s expression was lax and content, his lips occasionally curling into a tiny smile; his thick scruff darkened the lower half of his face; he had a slight blemish to the left of his nose, and light freckles dotted under his right eye; his hair was a complete mess from sleep (Leo’s probably looked no better).

Leo had never woken to a more beautiful sight.

He drew his hand up Jim’s back to cup his jaw, softly thumbing the line where his scruff ended. The smile twitched into something a bit bigger, and Leo leaned in to gently kiss his boyfriend.

He left it as a soft press of lips, not enough to jerk Jim awake, just tickle him a bit. Jim’s lips turned up again, and he breathed in deeply, pushing against Leo’s belly when his expanded.

Jim’s hips canted forward slightly; Leo felt their cocks pressed together, Jim’s morning wood saying hello. He froze, despite the pleasing friction – confident as he was that Jim would ask first, he wasn’t ready for anything yet.

His boyfriend hugged him tighter and Leo mumbled “G’mornin’” as Jim gave a wet kiss to his neck.

“Morning,” Jim rumbled, voice rough from sleep. He stroked up and down Leo’s back before carding fingers through his tousled hair. He cracked his eyes open, only to slam them shut again. “Ow… you need a better shade… too bright in here. What time is it?”

“’Bout six thirty.”

“I don’ wanna get up for school,” Jim said into Leo’s shoulder, “I jus’ wanna stay here with you.” He sighed, and kissed Leo’s neck again.

“Me too… and I’ll ask papa to help pick out some blinds.”

“Are you feeling any better?”

Leo let out a soft groan, more out of tiredness than anything else. He decided on “I’ll live.”

“Okay,” Jim said.

After a few more moments of exchanging sleepy kisses, Leo’s phone beeped quietly – not enough to startle either, just wake them were they still asleep.

Now Jim groaned, and pulled them apart. “I should really go get ready for class.”

Leo sat up to watch Jim gather his things, cock still tenting his shorts. Once he had all his clothing and his glasses on, he kissed Leo goodbye.

“Don’t forget what I told you last night. Okay?”

Leo smiled and nodded. Right before Jim opened the door, Leo cleared his throat. “Um… you know, don’t – don’t be afraid to tell me things, either, okay?”

Jim smiled happily and met Leo’s gaze. “Thank you.”

And with that, he was gone.

 

* * *

 

To: Jim  
_Can I pick you up at 5:45?_

From: Jim  
_Sure :)_

 

* * *

 

According to David, the restaurant was on the pricier side, and he suggested something a bit more formal for it – much like their theatre date. It had warmed up significantly since then, though not enough to warrant a single layer.

David dug into his stash of dress shirts; Leo selected a blue-gray one and upon repeated insistence that this was a fairly nice restaurant, Leo picked out a tie – overall an aggravating experience. Why was it so hard to find a nice tie? The elaborate – and coolest – ties were off limits, leaving a selection of fairly drab ones. He reluctantly settled on a black and green chevron pattern.

The shirt was too big, and he had to wear two of his own underneath just to help insulate him, but his outfit was complete.

Leo tried three different hair products to tame his unruly mop. The welding paste had been a spiky disaster (perhaps if his hair were shorter). The blue goop just stuck his hair together into a big lump.

It wasn’t until he sought assistance from David – Eleanora refused to help Leo get ready for a date with a man – that they found a solution. David borrowed Eleanora’s finishing hair spray and used a very light mist to get Leo’s hair to stay fluffy.

Money – check. Attire – check. Hair – check. David insisted on placing a reservation – check.

Everything seemed in order, and at five forty-five sharp, Leo pulled up to Jim’s house and rang the bell.

When Jim answered, it felt a bit like a punch to the gut. He wore a blue dress shirt that struggled to fit his muscular frame. A few buttons were undone, baring fluffy blond fur that would surely be Leo’s downfall. He’d parted his hair to the right into a handsome coiffure, and worst of all, he had his black glasses, bringing together the entire ensemble to make him look downright delectable. Leo wondered how he’d won over the interest of someone so devastatingly handsome.

When Jim’s eyes – darkened by the shirt to a gorgeous oceanic hue – met Leo’s and trailed over him to take in the whole of his appearance, he broke into a smile and chuckled shyly. “Um… wow,” he croaked. “You look really good.” One corner of his mouth pulled up into a boyish half-smile. “Hi.”

Leo cupped Jim’s stubbly jaw and tenderly kissed him hello. Jim gripped Leo’s waist and his lips parted, letting Leo control the kiss. Tongues tangled and lazily explored. Hands wandered up and down, along muscled back and strong shoulder, carding through hair and petting gently.

Jim’s glasses fell askew and hit Leo’s nose. Leo pulled away and let out an embarrassed laugh. Jim chuckled as he fixed them. “That was a nice hello,” he said, smiling wide.

“We should go before they let go of our reservation.”

Leo drove downtown, where the nicer buildings were. When they found parking and arrived at the restaurant, they were met with a sleek, minimalist building that took Leo by surprise.

“This the right place? Doesn’t look like a Mexican restaurant that I’ve seen before.”

Leo looked at his phone to confirm both the name and address of the restaurant. “This is the place.”

Inside was even more jarring a disconnection from the expected; the decor was sleek wood and brushed steel, expensive paintings, dim lighting and a spacious carpeted floor that gave every table a good deal of privacy. The smell, however, was unmistakable, a particular blend of spices that spoke only of fine Mexican cuisine.

A hostess in full black formal approached them. “Welcome, how many will you be seating tonight?”

“We have a reservation, McCoy, party of two.”

The hostess checked her tablet for a moment. “Ah, yes, one moment please.”

Jim smiled at him as he bounced on the balls of his feet. Leo gave him a shy smile back.

A waiter appeared by their side. “Right this way, sirs.” The waiter led them through the busy, noisy restaurant until they arrived at a booth in the corner (a special request on David’s part) and handed them each a menu. “Will you be ordering any drinks this evening?”

“Uh… we’ve never been here, can we have a moment to look at the menu?”

“Certainly.”

The drinks menu was half-and-half alcoholic and otherwise. After a few moments of perusing, Jim selected a Roy Rogers, while Leo excitedly picked peach tea.

“Anything look good to you?” Leo asked.

Jim was still bent over his menu, reading through the entrées. “I want something meaty today. Like… pork.”

“The carne asada looks good.”

Jim’s eyes scanned the page, widening upon finding their target. “Ooh, that does look good. I’m gonna get that. What are you getting?”

“Pork sincronizadas, it sounds really good.”

“Want anything to start?”

Leo hemmed and hawed until he found the appetizers section. “The chorizo queso sounded good.”

The waiter returned – with chips and salsa – and they placed their orders. Then, they were alone – aside from the cacophony of the rest of the establishment.

“Damn, this is really nice,” Jim said, taking in their surroundings and giving a quiet whistle.

Leo scoffed and started on the chips. “A little over the top, if you ask me.”

“Oh, come on,” Jim said, also taking a bite. “If your dad suggested it, it has to be nice. He’s a doctor!”

Leo furrowed his brow and stared. “What does being a doctor have to do with it?”

Jim’s smirk fell a bit. “I dunno, I figured he’d get paid well, maybe have a sophisticated taste. This salsa’s really good…” he thought aloud.

Leo slowly shook his head. “You heard him at dinner – his favorite thing is lewd hospital stories. He once made me listen to a story about a guy who got his lip ring stuck in his fiancé’s braces. There is nothing sophisticated about him.”

Jim snorted and his eyes crinkled. “What? How do you – how do you drive to the hospital like that?”

Leo scooped up some salsa and after a dramatic pause, crunched the chip loudly. “Very carefully.”

Jim huffed out a few laughs, looking down at the table. He glanced up and nodded gratefully when the waiter returned with their drinks. One drag of it and Jim moaned with appreciation. “Damn, that’s good.”

The peach tea likewise had a generous sweetness that surprised Leo, and he drank it greedily before catching himself.

“Oh man, that reminds me. Remember how the Mrs. Masters yelled at Gary and Cindy for sneaking a kiss during class?”

“Yeah?”

“The other day, Gary told me that his grade fell from an A– to a C+.”

“What? How did _that_ happen?”

Jim laughed again, and Leo grinned; Jim was so beautiful when he laughed. “How do you think? I don’t work with him now! Cindy’s grades fell too ever since I switched with her.”

“No way,” Leo said between laughs. “It’s not that bad, is it?”

“I told you, he just blogged about new shoes whenever we worked on lab reports.”

“That, combined with Cindy’s incessant texting, and their constant need to neck each other spells disaster for their grades.” Just thinking about the potential loss of productivity made Leo’s brain hurt.

“AP Chem is not a cheap class to fail.”

Leo shook his head with a small smile. “None of them are. Good god, man, what have we done?! AP exams are in a month and we ensured they’d never be able to study!”

Jim cackled with wicked glee. “I know! I should feel awful but I really don’t!”

Jim’s laugh was infectious enough that Leo soon laughed boisterously and even nearby patrons chuckled.

“You evil, evil man,” Leo huffed out between gasps for air.

The waiter returned with more chips and the chorizo queso, garnished with pico de gallo.

“Alright, gentlemen, here’s your queso. Your dinners should be another ten minutes or so.”

“Thanks,” Leo said, waving to him as he left. Using a chip for a spoon, Leo took a bite of rich, cheesy sauce with hints of spiciness. “Oh wow, this is good, too.”

“You act surprised,” Jim added, smirking as he took a scoop of the cheese dip.

“It’s so rich though… won’t this set me back on my training?”

Jim scoffed playfully. “No, it’s one meal. If I ate this stuff regularly though…” He gave his belly a loud pat and shook his head. “Hoo, I’d lose my girlish figure.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Right.” He watched Jim scratch his tummy and thought of the sculpted abs under his fingers. Jim’s open shirt was a delightful – and arousing – reminder of the soft hair coating his torso. He figured it was dark enough under the tables that he could—

Jim gave a start and dropped some queso on the table when Leo gently brushed him, trailing his leg up and down Jim’s calf. “Leo…” he began – sternly, though betrayed by his amused smile.

“Yes, darlin’?” Leo drawled, smiling as innocently as he could muster.

The term of endearment shattered Jim’s false annoyance. “What did you just say?”

Did he cross a line? “Um… darlin’?”

A small smile became a soft, smitten grin. “I like it,” he said. Jim’s leg fondled Leo’s, and they rubbed up and down each other’s leg. Jim brightened with a slight blush.

“What?” Leo asked.

“You’re my boyfriend,” Jim said quietly, chuckling like he’d revisited an amusing story. He reached under the table to grab Leo’s leg and worked a hand up under the slacks. He ran his hand up and down Leo’s shin through the coarse hair. Jim’s palm sent a shiver up his spine as he thumbed at his calf.

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, occasionally partaking in queso or salsa while Jim rubbed Leo’s leg.

The waiter interrupted their quiet intimacy by bringing their dishes to them.

“Alright! For you, we have the carne asada – careful, the plate is very hot.” He set down a steaming hot double plate topped with marinated red steaks, guacamole, grilled onions, and refried beans. “And for you, we have the pork sincronizada.” In front of Leo he set down a plate with black beans, coleslaw, brown rice and six slices of a Mexican tortilla sandwich of some sort, artfully arranged around a small bowl of guacamole. “Lemme know if you have any problems, enjoy!”

Jim released Leo’s leg, only to hook his own around it as they dug into their meal.

“Oh my god,” Jim groaned halfway through one of the many thinly pressed steaks. “Leo, this is amazing, you have to try it,” then he set a strip of steak on Leo’s plate.

Leo glanced down at the steak, and offered Jim a slice of his sandwich. “Here, try it.”

Jim bit in and his eyes widened in appreciation. “Wow,” he said around his mouth of food. “Kinda jealous.”

Jim forked a slice of grilled onion on Leo’s marinated steak, and resumed eating his own meal. The succulent grilled onion contrasted nicely with the spicy tomato-marinated beef.

“So… McCoy, eh?” Jim grinned knowingly, and Leo raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah?”

“Is that like… Hatfield–McCoy?”

“I… think so?”

“I knew a Hatfield,” Jim said around bites of beans. “Freshman year. Can’t be friends anymore.”

Leo furrowed his brow? “Why not?”

“Cuz I’m dating a McCoy.”

“Pft… you dork.” Leo lightly tapped Jim’s shin with his shoe as Jim laughed loudly. Leo quietly ate his meal, dipping it in guacamole and queso dip, until his boyfriend calmed down. “Ya better not befriend no Hatfield, they started it,” he drawled, and Jim laughed again. “Bribin’ that bastard, Staton.”

“I like you more, anyway,” Jim chuckled, reaching under the table to pet Leo’s knee.

“Damn right, you do,” Leo asserted, even as he blushed.

“You keep usin’ that accent an’ I might not be able to keep my hands off ‘a you,” Jim teased in a terrible copy of Leo’s dialect.

“You’re doin’ it all wrong,” Leo said, playfully waving a hand in faux dismissal.

Jim kept petting Leo’s knee, smiling softly. Leo reached under the table to grab Jim’s hand and squeeze, returning the gentle grin. His chest filled with warmth at the enamored smile on his boyfriend’s face.

“How’s your meal?” asked the waiter, interrupting their intimate moment.

Jim practically flew backward away from Leo, a bright red blush creeping from his cheeks. “Um, good! It’s good. Uh, do you have a dessert menu?”

“Certainly, sir.” He handed a menu over to Jim, who couldn’t make eye contact with him.

Jim searched the dessert menu, then held it out for Leo to read. “That Mexican brownie sound pretty good.”

One particular item grabbed Leo’s attention. “What in the blue blazes is a fried banana?”

“I dunno. Wanna try it?”

Leo cocked an eyebrow. “You sure? Sounds kinda weird.”

“It comes with ice cream, so… we can just eat that if we don’t like it?”

When the waiter returned, they ordered the fried banana and ice cream.

“So um…” Jim started, drawing on the table with a finger. “Do you wanna stay the night?”

After the awful week he ended up having, a quiet weekend with Jim sounded like the most wonderful thing in the world. “I’d love to.”

Jim stroked Leo’s hand with a finger. “Okay. Uh… do we… tell your parents now that they know?”

That was a great question. “I… guess?”

“Oh my god, your dad. Your _dad_ ,” Jim said. “I can’t believe how embarrassing that was. Dinner was one thing, but after? When he tried giving us the talk?”

Leo buried his face in his hands and groaned. “Don’t remind me, _please_.”

“It was funny at first, but… god, thinking about it… maybe we shouldn’t tell them.”

“It’s not like they wouldn’t notice I was missin’ anyway,” Leo added. The remaining half of his dinner tempted him, but the idea of leftovers was very appealing.

“So we tell them, I guess. You’d need to get your stuff anyway.”

“Yeah.”

“Games start next week. You ready?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you?”

“I’m always ready,” Jim answered, giving a cocky half-grin.

“Well then… uh…” Leo couldn’t honestly remember how they actually got to the games. “What do we do on game days again? How do we get there?”

“On Wednesdays, we bus there from school when practice would start. On Saturdays we have to drive.”

“So I can’t tutor on Wednesdays… what about our workout?”

“Uh, normally I just work out the next day since I rotate regimes so I don’t exhaust myself. Does Thursday work for the gym?”

“It should.”

The waiter came back and left the checkbook and fried banana plate in the middle of the table, then took their leftovers with him for boxing.

“Looks kinda weird,” Leo admitted.

“Live a little,” Jim replied. He smirked when Leo glared at him.

“’Live a little,’ he says,” Leo muttered as he stabbed a piece of banana with a fork and ate the entire bite. It had a wonderful, honeyed flavor and tasted vaguely of cinnamon and some other spices he couldn’t place. The outside was crispy and the inside about as firm as a usual banana would be. His eyebrows shot up in appreciation of the taste, and he gestured for Jim to try some.

“Oh come on, it’s a banana,” he said as he brought a piece to his lips. “It can’t be that—wow.”

Leo cut off a chunk of ice cream and scooped a slice of banana with it. The combination of vanilla ice cream and the honey-fried banana made a wonderful combination and Leo groaned with enjoyment.

They greedily ate their dessert in near silence – punctuated by quiet and borderline obscene moans – until there wasn’t a morsel left.

Jim patted his belly – a sentiment Leo empathized with quite well, at the moment. “Oh man, that was a good meal. Keep this place on speed dial.”

“They don’t deliver.”

“I don’t care! Keep them on speed dial.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll keep it on speed dial, for whatever reason.”

“Good. So what’s the damage?”

Leo flipped open the checkbook; nearly sixty dollars.

“Damn,” he murmured. “Glad papa gave us money, now. Do you have anything for the tip?”

Jim dug a ten out of his wallet and tossed it on the table. When the waiter came back with their boxes of food, he gratefully took the receipt and his tip, nodding curtly as they left the building.

It was seven forty-five; plenty of time left in the evening.

 

* * *

 

Leo didn’t make it back to Jim’s house for another half hour, thanks to a mix of traffic and David pestering him for his opinion of the restaurant. Jim answered the door, now wearing a loose fitting tee and shorts.

“Hey,” he said, smile widening. “I wasn’t sure if you were gonna make it.”

“Naw, I would have texted or called.”

Jim ushered him into the den, where a movie was paused on the TV. “Guess what I found for free on demand with my pathetically basic cable plan?”

Leo glanced at the TV to see it paused, _The Lion King_ proudly displayed on its title card.

“Really?”

“Yeah! I had never seen it, so I figured we could… watch together.”

“That sounds fun!” The opportunity to watch his favorite childhood movie with his boyfriend sounded fantastic.

While they watched, Leo spent more time looking at Jim to gauge his response to all of his favorite parts.

“Stop,” Jim chuckled. You’re ruining it!”

“How’m I ruining it?!” Leo asked, nearly offended by the accusation.

“Every time you look at me, I know something’s about to happen!” Jim said.

“Oh come on! How can I not watch you during _Be Prepared_? That’s the best song!”

Jim rewound for a few moments. “I missed a bunch now, thanks.”

“Oh come on, you’re the one who brought it up!”

Jim laughed and patted Leo’s shoulder. “I’m just kidding, I’m fine with rewinding.”

Jesting aside, Jim thoroughly enjoyed the movie, oohing and ahhing at all the right places. Even better, they held hands to the very end of the feature length.

“So whadja think?” Leo asked, though he already knew the answer.

“I think I should have seen this movie ages ago, but… I’m glad I saw it with you.”

Leo pushed at Jim’s shoulder and scoffed. “You big suck-up.”

Jim grinned back at him. “So um… what now?”

Leo searched his best friend for a moment; his shirt hung from his shoulders loosely, and his shorts barely reached his knees, failing to cover furry legs. He wanted to see more.

“Uh… do you wanna… get to know each other a bit better?” Leo asked slowly as he reached forward to pet Jim’s chest.

Jim ran his hands up and down Leo’s arms. “How well do you wanna get to know me?”

_I bet I can go further than not wearing a shirt this time; not_ too _far, though._

“Uh… how about you… take off your shirt and shorts?”

Jim thought for a moment as he drew his hands up to knead Leo’s shoulders. “I think I can do that.”

Leo leaned in to press a sweet kiss to Jim’s lips; Jim’s tongue sought entry, licking at Leo for permission, but he denied passage. “Let’s go to your room.”

Leo led Jim back to his room to sit together on his bed. “Um… I… dunno how to do this?”

Jim stroked a single finger down Leo’s chest. “Uh, me neither. I guess I just… um… do you wanna do it?”

Leo blushed, and thought of it for a moment. Taking off someone’s clothes was a really intimate thing to do, but… they were boyfriends. You’re supposed to do things like that with your boyfriend. He _wanted_ to do things like that with his boyfriend. “Okay.”

They sat across from each other on Jim’s bed, and Leo reached for the hem of Jim’s shirt, slowly drawing it upward to reveal washboard abs covered in soft hair. He brought it up over Jim’s chest until he had to raise his arms to let Leo pull it off him, flexing muscles and showing off hairy underarms in the process.

“I uh… want you to take off mine?”

Jim laughed. “Is that a question, or a request?” He grabbed his shirt and drew it up over his head as well. A pang of self-consciousness hit Leo at the sight of his gorgeous boyfriend’s muscled body in comparison to his own. He hunched over, shrinking back at the sight, but Jim took his shoulders and straightened him up.

“Leo, remember what I told you?”

“Um…” Leo stalled. “No…?”

Strong hands gently palmed his neck and shoulders. Jim lightly trailed a finger down his belly, softly tracing his treasure trail and making Leo shudder. He teased Leo, drawing his fingers up and down through the soft line of hair, barely touching skin.

Jim just smiled softly to him. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured.

Hearing it actually made Leo a little uncomfortable. “Uh…”

“Something wrong?”

“I dunno, I – when I hear the word beautiful, I always think of it being used for like, a girl or something. It’s not a very… manly word.”

“Well, um… ‘hot’ sounds really impersonal. ‘Handsome?’ ‘Gorgeous?’”

“I… guess you can call me beautiful. I just don’t know how I feel about other people hearing it.”

“That’s okay.” Jim leaned forward to kiss Leo’s shoulder, only to keep mouthing lower until he kissed over his heart. He seemed unconcerned with – or perhaps appreciative of – the fur under his lips. “Well Leo, you’re a beautiful man with a heart of gold.” Strong, burly Jim Kirk rubbed his hand over Leo’s pounding heart, gazing into his eyes with a smitten smile. “Don’t hide yourself from me, okay?”

A furious blush overtook him. “Okay…”

Leo began petting his boyfriend, dragging his hands down his chest and over his abs. Jim shuddered when Leo trailed his fingers through his thick blond treasure trail. “Um, do you wanna…?” Jim motioned toward his shorts.

“I – yes,” Leo stammered. Jim hesitated for a moment – was he just _now_ getting shy, after all they’ve done? – but slowly drew his shorts down over his legs, leaving him in nothing but his ocean blue boxers.

Now Jim hunched over to hide himself; an odd act, considering his usual showy swagger on campus…

“Can I…?” Leo trailed off, holding a hand out toward Jim’s thigh.

Jim tensed, but hesitantly nodded. Leo laid a palm on Jim’s thigh – an incredibly muscular thigh, playing rugby really made itself known here – and ran up and down the thick muscle. Jim tensed up, but Leo gently rubbed his thighs -- sometimes dipping in to rub the inner thigh. He moved to Jim’s calves and lightly kneaded the strong muscle, and Jim gradually relaxed.

Leo’s cock filled with arousal as he played with his boyfriend’s legs. Every inch of them was covered in blond hair, right down to his ankles. Jim’s ankles were surprisingly thin and bony – almost… delicate. It was an odd departure from the broad frame and muscular bulk of the rest of his body. Leo hadn’t really paid attention to Jim’s feet before, but the tops of them had a coat of light hair as well – not enough to joke ‘Hobbit feet’ but a handsome amount regardless.

“You have amazing legs,” Leo chuckled, caressing his boyfriend’s thighs again. He noticed Jim’s cock tenting his boxers; Jim was enjoying this as much as Leo was.

“Um… I – thank you,” Jim answered with a blush. Leo scooted closer and moved his hands up to Jim’s belly again, trailing fingers along his abs and fur to palm at his pecs and feel the racing beat of his heart. “Can I t—take yours off?”

Leo nodded, and Jim reached for his crotch, pausing briefly when Leo grimaced.

“Sorry, I – I’d never hurt you Leo, I promise,” Jim murmured.

“I believe you.”

Jim stared in awe for a moment before leaning in to kiss Leo. But a soft press of lips and a light lick from his tongue were all Leo got until Jim slowly fumbled with the button and zipper of his jeans. Each tooth ratcheting sounded deafening in the otherwise quiet room. When Jim pulled on his pant legs, Leo bit back a whine and lifted himself off the bed until Jim had divested him. Leo took his socks off himself and tossed them to lay with his jeans.

Leo and Jim sat on his bed in nothing but boxer shorts. Leo sat with his _boyfriend_ in their _boxer shorts._

“You okay?” Jim asked quietly.

Tension tightened much of his body, and his heart beat a frantic pace, but at least it was slowing. “Uh, I will be.”

“Tell me if you want to stop.” Jim rubbed his shin, ghosting a palm over the soft brown hair. For a while he trailed his fingers along the muscle until Leo relaxed into the touch. Jim gave gentle pets to his shins and knees, lips curled up the entire time. Leo’s foot jerked when Jim wrapped his hands around it and lightly kneaded the base of his foot. “You like foot rubs?”

“Uh… I’ve never had one.”

“You’re still really tense,” he commented, as he massaged Leo’s foot.

“Of course I’m tense, I’ve never – I’ve never been in my underwear in front of anyone.”

The fingers pressing into his foot moved lower until—

“Ow!”

A sharp pain shot up Leo’s leg and Jim withdrew his hands as if they’d been burned, a panicked expression falling over his face.

“Sorry, sorry! I didn’t know it’d be that bad! I found the knot, though.”

“The knot?” Leo asked. “What, can you make it go away?”

Jim gave a cocky smirk. “Of course I can – if you let me.”

Leo stared skeptically. Jim seemed to shrink in on himself.

“I guess I’d understand if you wouldn’t. I kind of… broke my promise.”

“What promise?” Leo asked, his drawl slipping in by accident.

“I promised I’d never hurt you and…” he trailed off to stare down at his hands as he fiddled with the blanket.

With a bit of trepidation, Leo offered his foot to Jim again, going so far as to wave it in his field of vision.

“Oh. Really?” Jim asked, a hopeful smile returning.

“C’mon, Jim. You didn’ mean to. ‘Sides, it’s just my foot.”

That seemed to placate him, as Jim gingerly picked up Leo’s foot again and started searching for the knot.

“This’ll probably hurt, so get ready.”

“Oka—EEEEEEEEEEEEE,” Leo yelled, squeezing his eyes shut in a grimace. He grabbed tight fistfuls of sheets to brace himself for the shock of pain.

Jim eased off the pressure a bit, and gently stroked Leo’s shin. “Shh, it’ll be okay, just try to relax and it’ll loosen up.”

Leo whimpered, but nodded. Even though the pain was intense, his body eventually stopped resisting the pressure. The sensation dulled to Jim’s thumb poking into his foot and his hand caressing Leo’s leg.

Leo’s eyelids fluttered as he let his head fall back against the wall. “Oh god, Jim if the whole rugby thing doesn’t pan out, you could be a masseur.” Jim’s hands stopped, and Leo thought to tell him the knot was—

“I never really considered anything else an option.”

Leo cracked his eyes open and saw Jim staring intently at his foot.

“You haven’t? How come?”

He shrugged and moved his hands up to Leo’s knee. “I just… never thought of it.”

“Well, what about…”

Jim was taking as many AP classes as Leo was, and his grades were phenomenal – he should know, Jim showed him. He could do anything he wanted if he set his mind to it. Among Jim’s interests other than rugby was—

“Astronomer?”

Jim scoffed. “More like professor. It’s a nice hobby, especially on really clear, summer nights, but as a job, all you do is take long-exposure pictures of the sky and stare at them until you find something. I like the idea of space more than sitting at a telescope all day.”

There went that idea. Jim seemed particularly against that – though why, Leo wasn’t sure. “What about… an architect?”

“What, and make buildings all day?”

“Yeah, but… think of how creative you could be. You get to make the entire thing – inside and out. Right?” He wasn’t really sure if they did.

Jim’s hands petted Leo’s hairy thigh now, not that he paid much mind to it. He stayed quiet, hopefully digesting Leo’s suggestion.

“I’m sure there’s more to it than that, but… you have all those pictures in your room. Could have some of your own up there someday.”

More silence. It wasn’t helping him relax as Jim crowded into his personal space, his hands stroking Leo’s belly and through his treasure trail.

“What about you?” he asked, brow raised. “You wanna be a neurosurgeon?”

“Of course I wanna be a neurosurgeon,” Leo replied, bewildered at Jim’s inquiry.

“You sure?”

The question caught Leo off guard. Jim met his eyes – gorgeous blue irises – earnestly seeking an answer. “Well… that’s what I’ve been studying to do…”

Jim kept petting him. “Is that cuz your dad’s a surgeon?”

Leo just shrugged, glancing past Jim’s shoulder.

“Your parents don’t seem the type to shove their lifestyle on you. Is he pressuring you to do it?”

Leo met Jim’s eyes again. He flashed back a warm and sweet smile. “Um… no, he isn’t.”

“So you wanna do it for you?”

Leo shook his head. “No, I wanna do it for the sick and needy. They deserve doctors, too, and there’s too few of them.”

“Sounds like you wanna be Doctor McCoy some day,” Jim said with a chuckle.

They didn’t actually say much of anything for a few minutes, just stroked and caressed each other. Leo glanced down at his boyfriend’s body and thought of the previous weekend when he’d lavished Leo with kisses. He hadn’t given Jim a comparable appreciation, so when Jim’s guard was down…

Leo pushed him down onto the bed and laughed at the surprised expression Jim made. He leaned down to exchange a kiss before sitting up on his thighs. The muscled body under him begged for affection.

Leo’s first touch was a ghosting of his fingers down Jim’s treasure trail. Jim’s belly rose and fell, pressing against Leo’s fingers as he stroked through his thick trail of soft golden fur.

“Leo…” Jim murmured.

Leo palmed his best friend’s tummy to feel the contours of muscle underneath his fingers. He was just far back enough that he could lean over, rest his weight at Jim’s side, and press a tender kiss to his abs.

The fur tickled his lips, and he darted his tongue out, licking at his abdomen. Jim sharply inhaled, pushing his stomach up to meet Leo’s face. He took the opportunity to nuzzle into his torso, pressing another kiss over his belly button. A hand gently carded through his hair, encouraging him to continue.

The desire to make Jim feel wanted – wholly, irrevocably – flitted into Leo’s mind. He kissed his way up Jim’s hairy belly until he reached his chest. His heart hammered away under Leo’s hands where he kneaded the handsome muscle. Leo’s erection begged for relief; Jim, too, was achingly hard, but right now was about getting comfortable with each other.

Right now was about appreciation.

So Leo pressed a sweet kiss over Jim’s heart, his chest flooding with warmth and a bit of embarrassment.

Jim gazed at him with borderline amazement. Before they began dating, Leo had thought Jim was hot; now Leo thought he was _beautiful_ , a distinction he hadn’t known was so important until he’d grown to care for someone.

Jim was nothing like his other crushes.

A few gentle strokes over his pecs made Jim shudder, and Leo recalled Jim had sensitive nipples. He gently rubbed his palms over them, soft hair dragging against his hands. When Jim started squirming, he halted and brought his hands up to frame Jim’s face.

“You’re beautiful too, you know,” he whispered before briefly kissing Jim.

Jim stroked down his neck and back. “I – I care for you deeply, you know that, right?” His voice wavered with emotion, and Leo plastered himself against Jim to wrap around him.

“I care for you too,” he softly replied, a murmur into Jim’s ear. “I really care for you, Jim.”

Jim drew his blanket over them, bundling them up. Leo cuddled up close – nothing but underwear separating them. When Jim drew back to look at Leo, his eyes darted down to his chin.

“Where’d this come from?” He ran a finger along Leo’s jaw, scraping the pad along some stubble.

“Oh that? I forgot to shave this morning. I can… get rid of it if—”

“No!” Jim exclaimed. “I mean… look at what I got going on here,” he added with a chuckle. He ran his fingers along his chin, a short beard present over his entire face. “I’ve got a good scruff here. I don’t really shave, just trim.”

“You should leave it,” Leo said before kissing his stubbly face.

Jim smiled and let out a soft laugh. “What do you look like with a beard?”

Leo paused. “I dunno… I’ve never let it grow.”

“Wanna… see where it goes?”

Leo grinned – a beard sounded like it could go great places. “Okay – no more shaving for me.”

“You’ll need a trimmer to stop it from goin’ nuts. A razor’s no good for shaping a beard.”

“I’ll have to look into that.”

“Shit, what time is it?” Jim mumbled. A glance at the clock reported that it was nearly eleven. “Practice early, should probably sleep.”

“Yeah…”

Jim turned out the light and pulled Leo in for an embrace.

“Stay with me tomorrow?” Jim asked quietly, a puff of air across Leo’s cheek.

“Absolutely.”


	13. Chapter 13

Was Jim’s house supposed to get so hot? It felt like the furnace had poured heat into his room all night. There was also something poking into his thigh.

When Leo finally wrenched himself from the dredges of deep sleep, he discovered the source of heat to be one James T. Kirk laying on top of him, face nestled in Leo’s chest hair. One arm was still curled around Leo’s back, the other lay lax next to his head. The ‘something’ poking his leg was Jim’s morning wood; Leo’s own answered in kind, pressing against Jim’s belly.

Loathe to potentially disturb his sleeping friend, he watched instead. The man laying on top of him had features even softer than usual; he looked peaceful and content, a departure from the driven teenager Leo usually thought of him as.

Jim stirred, only to wrap his other arm around Leo and nuzzle his hairy chest with a soft smile. Waking up with Jim holding him was quickly ruining sleeping alone. He lay a hand on Jim’s head to pet through his messy blond hair.

A light to Leo’s left grabbed his attention; it was his phone. He picked it up and unlocked it to see a message from his father.

From: Papa  
_Need help I’m the yard before you’re game, please come home early._

So much for a lazy Saturday morning. It was seven-thirty – probably late enough to wake Jim without too much complaint. At least he could roll his eyes at his father’s sloppy texting.

“Jim,” Leo whispered. Again, and Jim pulled tighter around him. Scratching in Jim’s hair did the trick; he fluttered his eyes open to look at Leo in the dim light filtering through the shades, blue eyes barely visible.

“Leo, please, it’s so early,” he groaned, voice dry from sleep.

“I gotta head home, darlin’, I jus’ didn’ want you wakin’ up alone.”

“Noooo,” Jim whined, crawling up Leo to drape across him and hold Leo against his chest. “Don’t leave. I jus’ wanna sleep with you.”

It was a _very_  tempting prospect. Jim was warm, cuddly, furry, affectionate – like a big teddy bear.

“Hold me Leo,” he murmured into Leo’s neck.

Leo sighed and embraced his boyfriend, who grew more endearing with every passing day. “Okay, but jus’ for a bit. I can’t get in trouble with papa.”

Jim held on tight and Leo caressed down his back, pressing sweet kisses to his best friend’s neck. After a few minutes, he began disentangling himself from Jim’s limbs and the blanket that had twisted around them in the night. “Jim, I gotta go.”

Jim groaned as Leo extricated himself. He tucked Jim back under the blankets and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“Come back after practice?” he asked, still mumbling and gravelly from sleep.

“I’ll be here.”

Leo gathered his things and dressed. He gave one last see-you-later kiss to Jim – who gave him an adorable smile – and was out the door.

 

* * *

 

Yard chores were a complete drag – a fact neither shocking, nor out of the ordinary. Today, though, there was a hint of resentment for it pulling him away from Jim’s arms. He was cleaning dead leaves from the garden bed when David spoke up.

“So didja have a nice night out with Jim?”

“Yeah,” Leo grunted as he pulled out a particularly well-rooted weed. “The restaurant was amazing. Thank you for payin’.”

“No problem, son. I’m jus’ glad you had fun.”

Leo grew ever sweatier as they worked in silence. The late March morning was nippy enough that they needed an extra layer, and the task was enough exertion to tire him, resulting in an uncomfortable mix of cold and hot.

“Didya have a nice night _in_ with him?”

Leo stabbed the trowel in the dirt and groaned. “ _Papa!_ I am _not_ talkin’ to you about this!”

“Okay, okay! Fine.”

“Go… weed the lawn or somethin’.”

Thankfully, David did just that, leaving Leo alone with his thoughts and embarrassment.

 

* * *

 

There was a particular tension among some of the players. Many of them made mistakes during practice and moved around restlessly. When water break came, Jim sat next to Leo on the bench.

“Hey,” he said. He gave Leo a pat to the shoulder and grinned. “Can you feel it, Leo?”

“Well I can certainly _see_ it.” He was still watching; Smith passed a ball to Anders; Anders didn’t notice and it smacked him right in the sternum.

“Pre-game jitters. All the varsity newbies are anxious.”

“I would be too, if I had my first game next week.”

It was an unpleasant reminder that Leo would be playing rugby next year, if his plans didn’t change. Their workouts presently focused on holistic fitness rather than rugby, but come winter they’d ratchet it up into a specialized regime.

“I’m still not sure what I do as Chris’ assistant at games.”

“Well, since you do the equipment for practice, not much.”

“Great,” Leo griped, shrugging helplessly. “I’m a water boy.”

“Oh come on,” Jim answered. “You’re not _just_ a water boy.”

“Well what else do I do? You’re the only one allowed to talk to the referees and I don’t do any direction of players.”

Jim bounced his leg for a bit, glancing around the field. It was a bright Saturday; the sun glistened off the dewy grass and the air smelled crisp and clean. Leo turned back to see Jim staring at him, his lips turned up in a slight smile.

“Try thinking of it this way,” he started. “You keep the team going by being the water boy. You keep the water ready for ‘em so the players can keep playing. You manage all the medical stuff, too. It’s like playing doctor.” Jim winked and chuckled. “I’d rather you not play doctor with someone else, though.”

Leo gaped at him. “You _were_ flirting with me!”

Jim smirked widely. “Yup!”

“You little shit,” Leo growled, playfully punching Jim in the shoulder.

Jim hissed at the contact. “You’re gettin’ an arm, there.”

Leo blushed and diverted his gaze. “Yeah, whatever.” He certainly felt stronger, though he wondered if he’d ever get anywhere near as built as Jim.

“Feel better now about the water boy thing?”

“Yeah… I guess.”

Jim patted his shoulder again. “I’ll see you after practice?”

Leo smiled wide. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

“Cool. Gotta go before Chris yells at me!” He bounded across the field to rejoin his teammates.

Practice suddenly felt far too long.

 

* * *

 

Leo _definitely_ was staring.

Upon arrival, Jim opened the door for him wearing nothing but boxers. Leo’s eyes – predictably – traversed Jim’s entire body, appreciating his heavy-set frame.

“Are you gonna come in…?” he asked, gesturing for Leo to actually enter his abode.

Once over the threshold, Jim pulled Leo in for a hello kiss. “I’m glad you’re here,” he murmured. A light caress to Leo’s jaw set his heart aflutter. He followed to Jim’s room, appreciating as he walked how Jim’s boxer briefs hugged his firm, sculpted butt.

Jim sat on one side of the rectangular table set low in the center of the room, much like Leo’s. Leo sat opposite him and took out textbooks; today they were studying for the ACT. Jim, however, seemed perfectly content to sit and study nearly in the buff.

“Um… were you gonna put on anything?”

“No,” Jim said decisively.

Leo lasted all of a few minutes before the disparity of their state of dress became too great.

“Would you… take off my clothes?” he asked hesitantly.

Jim looked up from his textbook and smiled softly, with an air of victory – like he had planned this from the start. “Sure.”

They both stood and Jim carefully divested Leo’s shirt, petting his chest and shoulders for a moment before slowly removing his pants, leaving him in his underwear.

“Let’s sit up here.”

Leo arranged himself on Jim’s bed with the textbook in his lap, but Jim took it and sat squarely between his legs, wrapping Leo’s arms around himself.

They went through practice exams together, Leo spooning Jim and straining to see over his shoulder as they conversed. Jim seemed to enjoy being the ‘little’ spoon, relaxing as Leo’s hands roamed over his body, petting and caressing muscle and soft hair. Something made Leo want more – more intimacy, more _Jim._

“Jim?” Leo started after a while of gentle petting.

“Yeah?”

“Um, could we – could we uh—” he hugged Jim a bit tighter, trying to ground himself in the warmth between his arms. “We—”

“Leo, relax,” Jim chuckled, looking over his shoulder to side eye Leo. “You can ask me anything.”

“Could we – could we go a bit… further?”

Jim stalled for a moment, looking down at the textbook. “You mean in the… exams?”

“No, with – with cl—othing,” he choked out, tripping over his tongue.

“Just… wanted to make sure,” Jim said quietly. Study guide carefully set on the nightstand, Jim turned to face his boyfriend. “So uh… how do you want to do this?”

“Um… uh… I wasn’t sure I’d get this far. I don’t know.”

Jim bit his lip in thought – or anxiety – and scanned up and down Leo’s body, then down at his own lap. His hand met Leo’s leg and tenderly stroked up and down, playing with his leg hair between his fingers. “How about… I go first?”

“O—okay.”

Jim, however, did not immediately remove his underwear. Instead, he just stayed where he sat. He still bit his lip, breathing deeply.

“Are you… nervous?”

“Yeah,” Jim said plainly.

“But… you take showers with the team every other day.”

Jim locked eyes with Leo, cerulean looking to his hazel. He held a lot of tension in his shoulders, and gripped one of his knees. “Yeah, but I never did that with the intention of anyone looking. This is different, Leo. I’m getting naked for _you._ ”

“Oh.” Leo easily sympathized with the sentiment – he was sure that if Jim asked that he go first, he’d be just as apprehensive.

“Yeah I’m nervous. You’re someone special. _This_ is something special.” He gave a self-deprecating chuckle. “That probably – that probably sounds really stupid.”

“No,” Leo said, shaking his head and gripping Jim’s hands. “No, that’s – that’s really sweet.” He blushed as Leo squeezed his hands. “How about… no touching, today? Just… looking?”

“Okay,” he nodded, looking down at the sheets. “Um… would you turn around?”

“O’ course.”

Leo did just that, rearranging himself to face a poster of Kepler’s Supernova. Sheets ruffled as Jim clambered off the bed; the telltale sound of cloth dragging down skin; the creak of the bed frame and shift of the mattress as Jim sat again.

“Okay, you – you can turn around, now.”

Leo turned to face Jim again. He certainly wasn’t wearing anything anymore, but his hands covered himself sheepishly and a bright red had taken over his face.

“I guess it’s my turn,” Leo mumbled. “Don’t look?”

Jim closed his eyes and turned his head away. Leo climbed off the bed and faced the other man who still looked away.

_Come on, Leo. You can do this. You want to be with Jim. You care for him deeply and you want to share yourself with him. You’re doing this for you. You’re doing this for_ him.

Leo slowly removed his boxers until he, too, wore nothing. It was warm enough in Jim’s room that clothing was only somewhat necessary, but he still felt a chill when he remembered Jim would be looking – _judging._

Except Jim hadn’t ever judged him. Not once.

With less trepidation than before, Leo sat down cross-legged in front of his boyfriend and covered himself before clearing his throat.

“Uh… you can look now.”

Jim turned back to face him and opened his eyes, occasionally flitting them down for a quick glance at Leo’s crotch. For a few minutes, they nervously glanced between each other’s hands and faces, blushing the entire time and avoiding eye contact.

“This is a little silly. I mean… Leo, you’re my _boyfriend._ I care for you, a lot, and… I…”

Leo decisively pulled his hands away, exposing himself for his dear Jim, and slowly reached forward to pull Jim’s hands away from his crotch. He pulled him away gently enough that he could resist if he wanted, purposeful enough to convey his intent. “Just lookin’ today, okay?”

He nodded, and they rearranged their legs to be as comfortable as possible without hiding anything.

Leo’s eyes trailed down Jim’s chest, following his treasure trail – the euphemism definitely made more sense these days – to where his neatly trimmed golden fur thickened and framed his cock. Leo’s face heated as he took in the sight of Jim bared just for him. The other man had a big, thick cock – it looked like it had a good deal of heft to it – and his balls hung freely, practically draped over the sheet. Big veins covered it, leading to the head of his penis, a crown of pink flesh that Leo knew as one of the most sensitive parts of a man’s body. He’d been envisioning Jim’s dick for a while now – since before they started dating – especially whenever he rubbed one out in the shower, but seeing it was an entirely different thing.

It was hard to judge any sort of size comparison; Leo knew his cock was pretty big – at the very least an inch above average length – and he was half-hard, but it seemed Jim was too. Leo, however, was still growing, while Jim seemed to have hit his adult height already.

He thought of how Jim trusted him enough to bare himself totally naked for Leo. The intimacy they so frequently shared was certainly arousing, and showing themselves off for each other was quite erotic, but their mutual embarrassment reined it back toward a quiet milestone for their relationship.

“Um…” Jim started. “Don’t – don’t take this the wrong way. But… you’re a lot bigger than I imagined.” He chuckled nervously, scratching at the back of his neck and ducking his head.

He couldn’t think of anything more flattering than that. Leo scooted himself closer to his boyfriend and gripped his biceps.

“You uh – you’re a lot bigger than I thought, too.”

Jim laughed and pulled Leo in for a sloppy kiss, too busy smiling for their lips to really connect.

“You’ve been thinking about me?” he asked, as sultry as possible.

“Of course I have,” Leo said indignantly. “I think about you all the time.”

“Did you ever…” Jim trailed off. He looked down at Leo’s cock again, seeming to drink in the sight of him. “Did you ever do anything… while thinking of me?”

Oh dear, how to answer that question.

“Um… ye…s,” he murmured, reviving the deep red tinge to Jim’s face.

Jim cleared his throat, an embarrassed smile plastered to him. “I uh – I did too.”

Jim thought of him while jerking off? He hadn’t expected _that._ It was easier than ever to imagine Jim slowly stroking himself until he shot a load of cum all over the shower wall – while thinking of Leo doing the same – and Leo’s cock slowly hardened. He trailed his hands down Jim’s muscled arms, suddenly wanting more contact. Jim took to rubbing Leo’s legs, and a glance down at Jim’s crotch gave him the sight of Jim’s erection laying on the sheet.

“D’you still wanna leave it at looking, today?” Jim asked hesitantly.

As much as he wanted to pleasure Jim, Leo neither knew how nor felt comfortable touching another man yet. “Um… if you don’t mind?”

Jim shook his head and gave a half-grin. “I’m not ready for more either.”

Leo carded a hand through Jim’s soft hair. “That’s perfectly fine.” He cupped Jim’s neck and pulled him in for an open-mouthed kiss. Lips parted, tongues explored, teeth nibbled as they made out, petting as they shared sweet presses of lips.

Leo pulled away, his heart swelling with affection. “Thank you,” he murmured, petting Jim’s chest.

“For what?” Jim asked, eyebrow raised.

“For doin’ this.” Leo gestured down to Jim’s crotch, where his gorgeous cock still stood at the ready for action.

“I don’t wanna rush either. Think about Gary and Cindy.”

“What about them?”

“Gary wanted to fuck almost as soon as they got together and they got in a big fight because Cindy didn’t want to. They’re over it, but it was a bit sleazy on Gary’s part.”

“I’d rather not fight,” Leo nodded.

Jim held a hand over Leo’s heart. “Me neither.”

 

* * *

 

Although more studying filled the afternoon, it definitely wasn’t clothed. There were a lot of stolen glances until it finally processed that the entire point of going naked was to look.

There was also more kissing, petting, and cuddling, much to Leo’s approval. Dinner was planned, cooked, and eaten together in the nude; they watched a movie buck naked; they played more twenty questions. He still carried a lot of tension by the time he had to leave, but that was expected for the first time ever letting someone see him in his birthday suit.

Once he was home, however, tension fled as he practically sprinted to his bathroom. Armed with new mental images of Jim stark naked, Leo took the most pointless shower ever. Once the water was a suitable temperature, he lathered up some shampoo and slicked himself up. He stroked himself to thoughts of Jim inches away from him, kissing and petting and looking painfully aroused. Warmth pooled in the base of his spine as he imagined Jim panting as he slowly drew his fist over his cock. He had to brace his weight against the wall from the force of his orgasm as the mental image of Jim spurting cum over himself flitted into his mind. Leo’s own jizz coated the wall and his awareness narrowed to the ecstasy of his cock pulsing and the phantom sounds of his boyfriend moaning his name.

It was a damn good thing he didn’t have to feel guilty anymore.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See the end of this chapter for a new tag. Please note this tag is a spoiler.

_**When the sun is shining and the flowers are budding, I think of how nature’s beauty pales in comparison to yours** _

The new note in his locker made Leo grin dopily in the middle of the hallway. It had been a while since he received one, though he still pretended they were all from Jim. He hadn’t actually _asked_ if they were from him, but…

Well, it’d be a bit awkward if they weren’t.

How would he even bring that up? ‘Someone’s been leaving love notes in my locker, is it you?’

When he sat down in Chemistry, Jim turned to face him with a big grin.

“Hey,” he murmured. “How’re you today?”

Leo smiled wide, both the note and time with Jim starting the day off on a high note. “I’m good, you?”

“You sure do look good,” he replied, the corner of his mouth turned up. “You seem to be in a good mood, too. I guess you saw the thing in your locker?”

_I guess I don’t have to bring it up._

“Huh?”

“You know,” Jim added, patting Leo’s shoulder. In a furtive whisper, he said “The note.”

“Oh, so they _are_ from you,” he said.

“Yup! Who else would it be?”

“I dunno—”

The bell rang. Mrs. Masters cleared her throat and began discussing their upcoming assignment. All through class, Leo occasionally caught Jim looking at him out of the corner of his eye. Every time, he glanced back to give him a tiny smile.

 

* * *

 

From: Jim  
_Can you come over after practice on tuesday?_

Why he didn’t just ask at practice, he wasn’t sure.

To: Jim  
_Sure_

 

* * *

 

“Hey, come on in,” Jim said, stepping back to let Leo inside. He led him to the living room, where the contents of a cell phone box littered the table.

“What’s all this?” Leo drawled as he set his backpack down.

“Surprise from mom.” Jim held a brand new – and very large – smartphone. It wasn’t the cutting edge latest model – one behind it, rather. He fiddled with it, locking and unlocking it with a click. “Um… I wanted to… introduce you to her.”

So it was Leo’s turn to meet the parents. Parent. Whatever became of his father, anyway…? He never spoke of the man, only his mother and _Frank._

“Is she comin’ home?” Leo asked. Jim seemed to shrink in on himself.

“No, I was gonna video call her.”

“Oh.”

Jim scratched the back of his neck and didn’t meet Leo’s eyes. “Did you – would you talk to her with me?”

“Of course, I mean – you put up with my parents, didn’t you?” He smiled; one of the corners of Jim’s mouth briefly turned upward.

“Yeah. Okay.”

He tapped through the menus and selected _Mom._ A live video of them on the couch appeared as the phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Five times it rang until it finally connected and the image of a blond woman in a khaki uniform appeared.

“ _James, hello,_ ” she said. She adjusted her uniform with her free hand, trailing the camera down by accident. _Kirk_ adorned the nameplate on the left breast of her coat; a badge of multiple bright colors whose meaning eluded Leo adorned the other side; a wide, silvery insignia was pinned above it.

“Hi mom.” Jim cleared his throat. “H—how are things?”

“ _Um… good, good,_ ” she answered. “ _Is school going well?_ ”

“Yeah, school’s good. Um, listen… I wanted to introduce you to someone.”

Jim wrapped an arm around Leo’s side and pulled him in closer. Leo’s face appeared alongside Jim’s in the corner of the screen.

“ _Oh, who’s your friend, here?_ ” Jim’s mom sounded particularly stilted, pausing between phrases, like she carefully calculated every statement, but wasn’t used to socializing.

Or wasn’t used to socializing with Jim.

“Um, this is Leo, mom. He’s… my – he’s my boyfriend.”

“ _Oh. That’s – that’s good,_ ” she replied. “ _That’s good._ ”

Good…?

“Hi Mrs. Kirk,” Leo said, trying for jovial but ending up with stiff.

“ _Hi._ ” Her eyes flitted around, not staying confined to her camera. Uncomfortable silence. “ _Um, are you liking the new phone?_ ”

“I haven’t really gotten to use it yet, but… yeah. Thanks mom.”

“ _Look, I gotta get back to work. I—_ ”

“Okay. I understand,” Jim interrupted.

“ _Right. Bye, James._ ”

The call terminated with a trio of beeps. Jim stared at the phone for a moment longer before tossing it dejectedly on the couch. Leo turned to face his boyfriend, who refused to make eye contact. He hoped this was an April Fool’s joke.

“Jim?” he asked quietly. “Are you okay?”

He let out a loud sigh. “No…”

Leo petted his shoulder. “Do you wanna talk about it…?”

“I don’t know, I mean – she’s always been pretty distant, so… I don’t know why I expected any different this time. This is only my _first relationship_ – with _anyone_ – and I thought she might be interested.”

Leo stroked Jim’s neck in silence. He wasn’t sure what was worse: an aloof parent or a rejecting parent. “It sounded like she wasn’t sure what to say.”

“Yup… that’s mom…”

_I need to distract him. Maybe homework? No, a movie._ Something more intimate didn’t seem appropriate.

“How about we watch some TV or… something?”

“Yeah, okay.”

Leo wondered what they could eat. Maybe some soup, or—

_Even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good._

While Jim busied himself with selecting a show, Leo ordered a pizza online. The gourmet pizza parlor wasn’t too far away – it wouldn’t take much time at all to get there. He’d pay in cash and make up for it later.

After barely thirty minutes of watching Jim’s apparently-favorite sci-fi show, the doorbell rang. Jim glanced over and furrowed his brow in confusion, but Leo stood with purpose.

“I’ll get it.”

A moment later, Leo brought a piping hot pizza in. Jim’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“You got a pizza?”

“I got _you_ a pizza,” Leo corrected.

After making room on the table and getting napkins, Jim happily ate his pizza. Leo had only sprung for a basic pepperoni, but Jim smiling again made it all the better.

“Thank you,” he murmured, once they polished off half of the pie. “That was a nice surprise.”

Leo crowded into Jim’s personal space to embrace him; Jim in turn held him tight. “I couldn’t just sit there an’ do nothin’.” He pressed a kiss to Jim’s neck, trailing up his cheek for a final, tender touch of lips.

They arranged themselves to watch TV again, Leo sitting behind and hugging Jim, rubbing up and down his belly to comfort him.

 

* * *

 

A buzz from his nightstand awoke him. He cracked his eyes open and reached for his phone to see a new text message. He recoiled in discomfort when he unlocked his phone and it blasted him with light as bright as the morning sun.

_Who on earth could that be?_

From: Jim  
_I can’t sleep_

Leo waited to adjust to the light before typing out a reply.

To: Jim  
_How come?_

From: Jim  
_Too much on my mind_

To: Jim  
_Anything in particular?_

He didn’t get a reply for a few minutes. Leo nearly fell asleep on him when another vibration startled him.

From: Jim  
_The game, I guess_

To: Jim  
_Nervous?_

From: Jim  
_No  
yes…_

To: Jim  
_Aren’t you the guy who said he’s ‘always ready’?_

From: Jim  
_That’s what I say_

To: Jim  
_Well, is it just this game?_

From: Jim  
_No. Every game_

To: Jim  
_Honestly, I would be nervous too if it were my first game. Though id probably be nervous every game_

From: Jim  
_Yeah but this time around I have one more person I could disappoint_  
_shit_  
 _Can we pretend I didn’t say that? I’m tired and not thinking straight_

To: Jim  
_Are either of us ever thinking straight?_

From: Jim  
_Dork_

To: Jim  
_Who would you be disappointing? And why?_

From: Jim  
_Chris, and now you_

What?

To: Jim  
_Why would I be disappointed?_

From: Jim  
_I just don’t want to lose in front of you_

It started to make more sense why Jim put so much effort into school, into everything.

To: Jim  
_I don’t care whether you win or lose, as long as you’re playing for you. Who are you playing for?_

Nearly ten minutes later, his reply came.

From: Jim  
_I don’t know_

Leo took nearly as long composing his own reply.

To: Jim  
_Well sometimes the odds are stacked against us too much. Maybe the other team has really good players. Maybe they’re just better organized. Maybe someone got injured, shit Jim I don’t know. Papa always told me sometimes life just hands us a no-win scenario._

From: Jim  
_I don’t believe in no-win scenarios_

To: Jim  
_Well you don’t have to worry about what I think. You do your best and that’s good enough for me_

From: Jim  
_I guess_

To: Jim  
_Get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow. Today. At school, whatever._

From: Jim  
_Haha, okay goodnight_

 

* * *

 

Jim wasn’t kidding – he really was nervous. It took a bit of looking – the guy had extraordinary poise – but once he saw it, Jim was an open book.

He fiddled with his pencil. He licked his lips more often (an infuriatingly distracting habit if you asked Leo). He doodled in his notebook. Every once in a while, he tapped his foot only to grab his knee to lock down on the motion. Leo surreptitiously laid a hand over Jim’s when the poor guy stopped his leg from virtually vibrating out of his pelvic socket.

“Win or lose, I don’t care,” he whispered.

His boyfriend worked his hand on top of Leo’s and gratefully squeezed. The leg tapping stopped.

When Chemistry ended, Jim softly said “I’ll see you on the bus,” before leaving for his next class.

 

* * *

 

Gathering everything for transit to the stadium felt like chaos. Chris helped Leo gather all the medical equipment and anything else he may need for the game and loaded it first. Once everyone’s personal equipment was secure and Leo took attendance, they departed for the stadium.

The bus itself was a din of players chatting. Jim and Leo sat near the front, closer to Chris than not.

“Still nervous?” Leo asked, low enough that only Jim could hear him.

“Yeah.”

He leaned to look around Jim into the aisle; not seeing any onlookers, he took Jim’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “You’ll do great. And it don’t matter to me if you don’t, okay?”

Jim’s lips turned up into a soft smile. “Thanks.”

 

* * *

 

The actual game was a flurry of activity, and even though Leo had dutifully studied, he remained hopelessly lost trying to keep up with the happenings. All he was sure of was that players sometimes came in for water (Jim would nod to him when he did) and scored points.

Thankfully, no one was injured throughout the entire game, leaving Leo mostly to his own devices. Unfortunately, that also meant he was essentially delegated the role of ‘water boy’ as he had feared. It did, however, afford him the time to observe the game – and Jim.

If Jim was gorgeous in person, in motion he was absolutely beautiful. He moved around the field with a surprising grace, weaving in and out of other players like it was second nature. His endurance seemed endless – something Leo had learned was quite necessary to play the Hooker.

On a whim, Leo pulled out his phone and began taking pictures of the game (and largely Jim). Most of them were too blurry to keep; he could barely tell it was his boyfriend in the first place.

Then there were others that were assuredly worth the time. There was one of Jim talking to the referee, his uniform rucked up a bit and showing off lightly tanned belly. Another of him in the middle of catching the ball. Yet a third of him throwing the ball, the musculature in his arm bulging and working to expertly deliver the ball to another team member.

At some point Jim turned to face Leo and noticed him taking photos. He grinned and lifted his uniform to wipe away the sweat from his brow, exposing his sweaty stomach.

“Damn it, Jim,” Leo muttered after the camera snapped a pristine image of his best friend’s furry abs. “You jus’ can’t help yourself, can you?”

A few crowd members whooped appreciatively but it was overpowered by a roar of approval a moment later when someone scored a try – seven points for their team.

In the first half of the game, their team scored two tries and a drop goal for seventeen points; the opposing team scored two penalties for six points.

In the second half, both teams scored two tries, bringing the score to thirty-eight to twenty. Everyone spent the last few moments of the game stealing the ball back and forth until the clock counted down to zero, with their team declared the victor.

The crowd went wild as the team danced in victory. Leo couldn’t help but jump to his feet and cheer – mostly for Jim, but nobody had to know that.

Leo cleaned up as each team lined up to high-five each other before leaving for the showers. Twenty minutes later, everyone piled back in the bus to go back to school.

“So,” Jim started. “That was your first game. What’d you think?”

“Confusing,” Leo replied. “How can you tell what’s even goin’ on?”

“I’m the captain. I’m supposed to know what’s going on.”

He was still breathing deeply, still exhausted from the match. There was a light sheen of sweat on him. “You doin’ okay now?”

“Yeah… yeah, I’m fine.”

“Um… you can always… talk to me about it, okay?”

Jim broke into an embarrassed grin. “Yeah, okay. Thanks.” His smile softened as he locked eyes with Leo. “Does it look like something you’d like to do?”

Well, Jim certainly seemed to enjoy doing it. On the other hand, he was glad that he had dropped out at the start of the season – that sort of strain wouldn’t be good for his body before building it up. “I’m not sure.” Failing all else, honesty was the best policy.

“That’s okay. We can keep training for it and you can decide if you want to later. Remember, we’re moving workouts to the day after a game, so Thursdays and Sundays now.”

When they arrived at school, Jim helped Leo unload equipment as other players left or were picked up. Once everything was said and done, Jim approached him to clap a hand on Leo’s shoulder.

“Still on for studying?”

Leo gaped. Where the hell did the guy get all his energy? “You want to _study?_ After all that? I would wanna go home and pass out.”

Jim patted Leo, the contact warming his heart. “Maybe I’d rather pass out with you.”

Leo scoffed, never really able to take a compliment. “I – okay.”

“Okay. I’ll see you at my place.”

 

* * *

 

Were Leo asked, he would have said that the exterior of Jim’s house was shaping up; the paint looked to have been touched up a lot. No longer did it look peeled, nor were there any blemishes. Whenever had that changed?

The lawn, on the other hand, still looked about the same as it always had. The flowerbeds were bare.

Jim let him in and after a greeting kiss, led Leo back to his room. On his table sat his calculus work and an innocuous white envelope, seal-side up.

“Okay, um… let’s get started,” Jim said, clapping his hands together. Something about him seemed off, seemed _too_ eager to do homework. Not ten minutes into working he broke the quiet by clearing his throat. “Um… so, Leo. I wanted to share someth—I wanted to show you something.”

Leo raised an eyebrow; something had him nervous again, even after a good game. “Yeah?”

Jim reached for the envelope, still sealed, and turned it over to stare at it. Leo scooted closer and recognized the return address as a family medical center in town. “Well, what is it?”

“I thought we could… open it together?” He bit his lip and looked up at Leo through his eyelashes.

Leo furrowed his brow in confusion. “Okay… but what is it?”

“Um… you’ll – you’ll see.” Jim pulled Leo against his side and anxiously ripped the envelope open. What had him so agitated?

When the envelope was in tatters and the contents left exposed, Jim held it so they could both look at it. On it was patient information, test date, and a grid of data values.

_Chlamydia: Negative_  
_Hepatitis B: Negative_  
_Hepatitis C: Negative_

Numerous entries covered the paper – every single one listed as ‘negative’ or ‘non-reactive’ – ranging from the most benign to most vile of infections most prominently transmitted through—

Leo turned to stare. Jim looked about ready to jump out of his skin, even though a clean bill of health should be cause for celebration. “Jim are these – you got tested for STDs?”

Blue eyes glanced up to meet Leo’s, and Jim once again looked meek and helpless. “Um… yeah.”

“How come?” If Jim had never been with anyone…

“I just – I mean,” he murmured. “We’re moving along to – and… well…” He broke eye contact and sheepishly scratched his neck. “I know I haven’t ever been with anyone else, but I – I want you to – to feel safe with me.”

Forgetting the paper, Leo lifted Jim’s chin and surged forward for a passionate, heated kiss. Jim toppled backward from the force of it, taking Leo down with him. Leo straddled his waist and kept pressing more kisses against Jim’s lips. Jim sucked on Leo’s tongue and brought his hands up to cup the back of Leo’s head, carding through his hair as they made out on the floor.

Leo pulled away and panted. He let his forehead rest against Jim’s. “That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

Strong arms wrapped around Leo, pulling him into a hug so tender it betrayed their erections pressing against each other. “I may have had ulterior motives.”

“Yeah?”

“If we’re both clean… we don’t have to use condoms.” Jim’s eyebrows shot up suddenly. “I mean, if you’re comfortable with that,” he added in a rush.

That led to an interesting mix of apprehension and excitement that Leo would process later. “I dunno, but… right now I just…”

“We can talk about that later. Can I… take your clothes off? I wanna see you again.”

“So soon?” Leo mumbled into Jim’s shoulder. “Why darlin’ I might start thinkin’ you only want me for my body!”

“Oh my god,” Jim groaned, burying his face in Leo’s neck. “That _accent._ You’re evil.”

“Whatever, you like it.”

Leo lifted himself off Jim so he could sit up. They took turns removing each other’s shirts and pants until they were down to underwear again.

“Um… would you take mine off for me?” Jim asked, blushing a furious crimson.

Leo nodded and Jim sat on his bed. Crawling over to kneel in front of him, Leo ran a hand up and down Jim’s belly, gently following his soft treasure trail with a finger. Jim shivered under the intimate touch. “You know it’s kinda hard t’ take off your underwear when you’re sittin’ on the bed.”

He laughed nervously, but stood up for Leo. With a tentative touch, Leo ran his hands up and down his boyfriend’s legs, ghosting his palms over the blond hair. He curled his fingers over the elastic band of Jim’s boxers and drew them away, slowly revealing the base of his cock and the fur surrounding it. Down he pulled until Leo had a very personal view of Jim’s crotch. The previous weekend they only shared each other from a slight distance; now, Leo was able to take in practically every detail. He trailed a thumb along the V that Jim’s hips made and leaned in to press a kiss to his thigh, and Jim petted Leo’s head.

Jim sat back down on his bed and Leo followed. He kept running his hands along the powerful muscle still hot from so much running not a few hours ago. Caressing his legs with his lips and fingertips was as close to his cock as Leo got, at least until he ran his hand up and down Jim’s tummy, following the muscle and fur to thumb at the impression the elastics of his underwear had left.

“Can I do yours?”

Leo clambered to his feet and stood before Jim, who slowly reached for Leo’s boxer briefs as one might try not to spook a scared animal. He drew them down, exposing Leo’s pride and joy. When Leo kicked his boxers free of his feet, Jim gripped his hips and leaned in to press a kiss to his belly.

“You’ve slimmed down quite a bit,” he murmured, trailing his palm down Leo’s treasure trail. His eyes lowered to drink in the sight of Leo’s cock, and he huffed out a small, appreciative breath. “God, Leo… you’re so _big._ ”

Leo blushed brightly, and his cock filled.

“So handsome, so smart… _and_ you’re packing,” Jim said with a chuckle, smiling softly. “God, you really are gonna be a heartbreaker…” He watched Leo’s cock harden, and pressed another kiss to his tummy, tickling him a bit and getting some of his fur wet. He patted the blankets at his side, and Leo took the seat, sitting close enough to wrap his legs around Jim, but not close enough to bring their groins together. Definitely close enough to be much more personal than the last time they did this.

Jim’s smile was so bright and beautiful Leo’s heart twinged from the sight. He cupped Jim’s face and sweetly kissed him, wanting so much to show he cared for him. Making out with Jim was now one of his favorite activities; making out as they petted and palmed each other was even better.

Jim drew away and cleared his throat. “Um… you know, when we start… doing things, I really – I really want it to be good for you. You know?”

Leo’s heart pounded hard. “Yeah?”

“I don’t know what you like… doing.”

What he liked… doing? “You mean when I…?”

“Um…when you jerk off.” Jim’s cheeks pinked with embarrassment.

“Uh, well… I like to – to uh – uh…” What _did_ he like doing? His favorite habits eluded him; it probably had to do with Jim’s beautiful cerulean eyes gazing earnestly at his own. “I dunno how to say it.”

Jim silently pondered as he petted Leo’s chest. “I’m not really sure how to say mine either.”

An idea popped into Leo’s head, one he wasn’t sure he’d even be willing to do but it was worth a shot. “Why don’t we… show each other?”

Jim’s brows shot up, his eyes widening in surprise and his mouth agape. “Really?”

“I – sure, I mean we – we’re gonna be…” Leo swallowed. “…doing it to each other eventually. We could jus’… watch first to get used to it.”

Jim – still red in the face – huffed nervously. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, let’s do that. Um…” He reached over for his nightstand – Leo noticed Jim’s cock standing proud and firm – and pulled out some lotion from the top drawer. “Are you cool with using this? I always spring for the good stuff. Um, no fragrances, no weird ingredients, and—”

“Yeah,” Leo interjected – perhaps this wasn’t the best idea.

“Whoa, relax.” Jim gave a few tender pets to Leo’s neck. “Don’t jump the gun, okay?”

Embarrassment tinged Leo’s face pink, but he nodded.

Jim scooted back, legs open to give a good view of his stiff cock. He had such a gorgeous cock – long and thick, perfectly proportioned, straight as an arrow – and Leo couldn’t help but stare. After he parted his own legs, Jim’s gaze diverted down as well.

“I can’t believe we’re gonna do this,” he murmured. “Um…” He offered the lotion and Leo squirted some in his palm. Jim pumped some out on his hand and set the bottle at their side. He glanced up to meet Leo’s eyes. “I… guess I’ll start.”

He slicked his cock up with lotion, spreading it with deft twists of the wrist until he coated his entire dick in a sheen of lotion. Leo wrapped his hand around himself and smeared it until the opaque thinned to an invisible layer. His hand easily slid up and down his length – Jim really _did_ spring for the good stuff.

Together the two young men slowly stroked, watching the other play with themselves.

“So uh… what do you like doing?” Leo asked, still gently drawing his fist up and down his length.

“Well,” he started, watching Leo’s hand work his cock. “I like twisting my hand” – he demonstrated by reversing his grip and twisting slowly – “like this.”

Watching his best friend masturbate for him – for _him_ – was probably the hottest thing Leo had ever seen, but he kept his pace slow. “I like stroking myself really slowly” – bringing his fingers up and down the entire length in an agonizingly slow pace – “like this.”

Jim kept working himself. Leo watched Jim’s cock head disappear between his fingers when he stroked to the end. “I like to do this under the head and play with my balls.” Jim cupped his ball sack with his free hand and gently rolled them, giving a quiet huff of breath as he rubbed right under the head with a finger.

Telltale heat of an impending orgasm built up, pooling as a pleasurable tension in Leo’s crotch. “I like pulling at the head of my cock with my fingertips.” He gingerly trailed his fingers along his shaft until they caught on the crown of his penis, then pulled his fingers over the edge over and over, making him gasp low with pleasure.

Jim mimicked him, playing with the head of his dick. He gave a slight shudder and blew a breath out of pursed lips. “Oh god, that’s good.” His fingers moved to the base of his dick. “Sometimes I like to squeeze out precum until I have a big drop of it.” Jim wrung himself from hilt to tip until he had a bead collected at the slit of his dick. Leo watched him repeat until there was a big dribble of it and—

_“Oh shit…”_

Jim collected the precum on his finger and brought it to his lips, licking his finger clean. Leo’s jaw dropped as Jim wrung out some more and ate that too, sucking on his finger. Letting go of himself was the only way to stave off his upcoming release.

“Are you tryin’a kill me?” Leo slurred, brows raised in surprise.

Jim jerked from a pleasurable swipe of his cock. “ _Jesus,_ man, that accent.” He stared at Leo’s dick still throbbing with arousal as he stroked his cock. “I could get off on that accent alone…”

Gripping the base of his cock, Leo loosened his hold until it was just his thumb and index finger making a ring. “I like to do this and jus’…” he brought the ring up and down the length of his dick, barely touching it, but making him shudder nonetheless.

“God, _Leo_ …” He imitated Leo, stroking with the hoop made by his fingers along his dick. With a shake of his head, he breathed out again. “So handsome…”

Leo felt a bit faint as he watched Jim slowly jerk off to him. He pulled at the head of his cock again and huffed out a breath.

“I like to drag my fingers up my cock like this.” Jim lightly trailed his fingers along the underside of his penis, giving a slight flick under the cock head.

The arousal coiled in his belly ratcheted up; he wouldn’t last much longer at this rate. “I like to palm the head of my dick, like this.” He grabbed the base of his manhood with his left hand and swirled his palm around the crown. A huff of satisfaction escaped his lips and his eyelids fluttered briefly from the spark of pleasure that shot up his spine.

“God that’s hot,” Jim breathed out as he watched Leo please himself. “Leo, you’re killin’ me.” When Jim palmed the head of his cock, he gasped. After a moment more of rubbing the tip, he shifted backward, bracing his weight on his elbow. “Oh shit… shit, _Leo,_ ” he moaned as he slowly stroked his cock. Thick white cum spurted over his belly, landing in long stripes, the force of the orgasm propelling his jizz clear to his chest. As Jim’s orgasm wracked him with ecstasy, his mouth dropped open and he heaved out wordless huffs of bliss. His entire world seemed to narrow down to what Leo did for him.

The sight of his boyfriend cumming all over his furry six-pack abs pushed Leo over the edge. He leaned backward too and heaved breaths as his cock throbbed rhythmically in time with every jet of cum he shot. “Jim, oh god, Jim,” he panted. Every splash of warm and wet semen on his torso was another shot of satisfaction. The force of his cumshot made him shudder with every pulse – never had he ever experienced such a forceful orgasm. He glanced up to see his boyfriend watch him pump cum all over himself, totally mesmerized by the sight. Once he was gently stroking himself through the aftershocks, his breathing slowed to a more relaxed pace.

Jim sat up again and Leo glanced at his belly; his cum stuck in thick strands to his blond fur and skin, painting his abs with long ropes of white. Every heave of breath just accentuated how hot his muscular torso looked covered in semen. A look down at himself gave him the vision of his stomach covered in strings of jizz. He looked up again and locked onto Jim’s eyes – Jesus, those beautiful blue eyes – in partial shock. Jim started laughing, blushing from embarrassment. Leo likewise slumped against the wall, breaking into laughter and a sheepish grin.

“That was – that was amazing,” Jim exhaled.

Leo nodded tiredly with a wide smile, still glancing down at his best friend’s cum-covered body.

Jim stared for a bit at Leo’s stomach. His eyes widened after a moment, and he shook his head in disbelief. “Jesus, that’s a lot of cum.”

Leo’s gaze darted between himself and his boyfriend. “You’re tellin me, look at all the jizz on you.”

“Yeah but – I mean,” Jim stammered. He gestured to Leo’s belly. “God, that’s a lot. And it’s so _thick,_ too.”

Leo gave his cock a squeeze, wringing out the last of his cum, then wiped it clean on his belly hair with a finger.

“Are you fuckin’ serious?”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean, ‘huh?’ You can’t just… do that. That is so fuckin’ hot, Leo.”

Leo’s blush deepened to a hot crimson and his cock twitched. He gazed down at his boyfriend’s stomach, staring for a few moments; it looked like Jim’s semen was just as thick as Leo’s. Did he really find Leo’s that hot?

“We should definitely do that again,” Jim laughed, grinning brightly.

“Yeah, definitely.”

Leo sat up and Jim met him in the center, pulling Leo in for a tender kiss. There was some foreign taste in Jim’s—oh! His precum. He continued, kissing his best friend until Jim snorted and pulled away.

“Jesus, I’m still – I can’t believe I did that with someone.”

“How come?”

“Can you?”

“I—well, I guess not, no.”

“I just…” Jim started. “There was always that thought in my head that I wasn’t your type or you weren’t into guys and… part of me never thought I’d even get to take you on a date.” Jim rubbed his clean hand up and down Leo’s leg, carding through his leg hair. “Now look at where we are.” He laughed again, filling his room with a joyous chuckle Leo cherished.

Leo smiled wide and diverted his gaze to the blanket for a moment in pensiveness. Another moment of surrealism hit Leo; his boyfriend was Jim Kirk – envy of so many a student at their school – and there they sat on Jim’s bed having just dirtied themselves by jerking off for each other to watch. Jim – still staring at Leo’s softening cock – had pleasured himself to Leo’s every stroke of his cock and emptied all over his torso, baring his load for Leo alone to see. The thought of doing that – of bringing Jim to fulfillment – with his own two hands seemed more and more enticing with each passing second.

Jim handed some tissues to Leo. “Here, we’re both kind of a mess.”

Leo cleaned off his dick and his midriff with the tissue – as much as he could, anyway, what with his treasure trail being so saturated – and glanced up to see Jim looking at him again.

“What?”

Jim laughed and blushed. “I kinda wanna go again.”

“Already?” Leo asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You mean you don’t?”

“I – no, I jus’ wanna bask in the afterglow!”

Jim reclined a bit and smiled. “Do you wanna do something again this weekend?”

“You wanna talk about that _now?_ ”

“Why not?” he asked. “It came to mind.”

“Well, I – okay.” Thus far, they had gone to a dinner theatre, an arcade, and an expensive restaurant. “Did you have somethin’ in mind?”

“I dunno, maybe like… a sports game or something?”

“Well, I—”

“How about a baseball game?” Jim supplied before he could object.

Basketball had never been one of Leo’s favorites; rugby was quickly becoming one, if largely because of Jim; baseball, he thought he could do too. “Okay. Who’s playing? Not that I really care that much.”

“I just know there’s a game on Friday and that tickets are something like fifteen dollars.”

“Hmm, that sounds good.” Despite not being much of a sports fan, a game on a Friday night sounded fun. Especially when Jim looked so happy to be going on yet another date, and as he leaned in to give Leo another kiss he thought he’d do anything with Jim if it made him that happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iowa Youth Rugby Association tries are automatically seven points rather than five, though their Varsity teams normally play two games on Fridays rather than one Wednesday and Saturday.
> 
> This fic is now informally flagged ‘mature’ for detailed no-contact sexual interaction.


	15. Chapter 15

“So tell me why you’re here today, Leonard!” Dr. Puri exclaimed, his cheer an irritation now.

“Uh, well…” Leo mumbled, hands in his lap and his gaze avoiding Puri’s. “I, uh – I wanted to – to get tested for…” An uncomfortable blush seared Leo’s cheeks as Dr. Puri prompted him to continue with a single raised eyebrow. “For STDs,” Leo whispered.

“Oh! There’s no shame in that. I highly recommend it at least once a year.” Puri called up some forms on his computer and started filling them out.

Leo had called during lunch to arrange an appointment, and thankfully Dr. Puri had an opening right after practice. He’d withheld from Jim his reason for postponing their workout for an hour or two, having simply said “I have an appointment.” Thankfully he’d been amenable.

“So who have you been with? Women? Men?” Leo’s blush deepened to a hot red, and Puri scrutinized him from behind his thin glasses. “Both?”

“Um… “

“Okay… let me make it a bit easier. Did they have a penis or—”

“I’ve never slept with anyone.”

“Oh, well is there any reason you’re getting tested, then?”

He had an excellent point – why exactly was he getting—

Jim, of course. He was getting tested for Jim, who gave Leo the peace of mind he needed to just relax and be close with his boyfriend.

“Any suspicious symptoms?” A long pause. “Just want to make sure?”

“Yeah,” Leo nodded. “I just wan—wanted to make sure.”

Puri typed away, filling out the form on the screen. “I’m sure you already know about practicing safe sex?”

“Yeah, I—”

“Although I always wondered why it’s ‘practicing’ safe sex. You don’t really ‘practice’ it, you just do it!”

“Um, I suppose?” Leo shifted in his chair in discomfort.

“What’s your sexual preference? Need to know since different populations usually carry different infections. “

Leo wrung his sweaty palms together. “I j—just like men.”

“Alright.” Puri finished the forms and turned to face Leo, prompting Leo to look down at the floor in shame. “So common sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men are – besides HIV – syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, all of which can be treated with antibiotics. Though gonorrhea is a bit resistant, so whenever you suspect something is amiss, get tested as soon as possible.”

“My b—boyfriend is already clean,” he stammered. A chill spread through his chest; although he knew Dr. Puri would never divulge anything, he was the first person other than his parents whom he had told about dating another man. The chill was an uncomfortable contrast to the burning mortification he felt not a moment prior.

“Oh that’s good. Okeydokey, a lab tech will be here in a minute to take blood and urine samples.”

“Wait, you’re testing me for everything, right?”

“Of course! That’s what you wanted, right? Anyway, these have a pretty quick turnaround, you should have your results by Saturday. Hope you have to pee!” Dr. Puri patted Leo’s shoulder, and then he left with a swish of his coat, leaving Leo alone.

_Hope you have to pee?_

 

* * *

 

“Hey,” Jim greeted. “Hope you brought some layers! It’s gonna be cold.” He wore a thick plaid overcoat with a matching scarf and beret. Where did he get a _beret?_

“I was gonna tell you the same.” Leo wore his best winter jacket (the one Jim saw virtually every day) and one of his father’s wooly hats. “If I had known it’d be forty degrees out,” a shiver interrupted him, “I wouldn’t have agreed to a baseball game.”

“Aw.” Jim’s smile broke to a sorry frown. “Do you not want to go anymore?”

“No, I do!” Leo exclaimed. “I just – I just want you to be warm.”

Jim furrowed his brow in confusion. “Well, if you say so.”

“Okay, fine. I wanna be warm too.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fun!”

Parking was abysmal, but Jim had purchased tickets ahead of time. Soon enough they took some seats above one of the dugouts.

“Damn, there’s a lot of people.” Leo nearly had to yell over the din filling the stadium.

“Do you wanna go get food? We could always eat after if you don’t,” Jim offered.

The idea of baseball park food and pizza in the same week while on his smart bulk diet didn’t sound particularly smart. Then again, games typically ran at least two and a half hours; it would be almost ten by then. “Nah, I’ll risk it.”

“With all the progress you’ve made, it’ll barely be a setback.”

Jim ordered a hotdog and nachos; Leo ordered mini pizzas and a Coke.

“It’s a soda, Leo.”

“Coke. It’s a Coke.”

“Soooooooooda,” Jim said, before crunching on some nachos.

“Coke. Everything is a Coke, Jim.”

Jim just stared. “Even the fruity ones?”

“Coke.”

“But they—” A big grin split his face. “Nevermind.”

The mini pizzas ended up being a lot better than Leo had expected. The “ _Coke,_ Jim,” was refreshing enough, he supposed, though the brand they had given him wasn’t to his taste. Jim thoroughly enjoyed his nachos and hot dog, and they shared their orders anyway.

The noise filling the stadium grew louder once the game begun at seven o’ five, sharp. It gradually tapered off as the game progressed. Neither team scored by the top of the third inning.

“I guess this wasn’t the best idea ever?” Jim asked before breathing into his hands to warm them up.

“What do you mean?” Leo furrowed his brow and stared.

“Kind of a boring game, neither of them are getting anywhere.”

Leo diverted his gaze back to the players on the field; the batter was just put out on a bunt and a new one was up to swing.

“Not really, it’s kind of tense, actually, just waiting to see who gets the first score.”

The game was a virtual stalemate until the top of the fourth, when the opposing team scored a home run. The cheers were nearly deafening, though Leo heard a good deal of groans, too. The rest of the inning, however, went without much excitement, with two batters striking out.

“Why are they called innings?” Jim asked out of nowhere.

Leo glanced over, an eyebrow reaching skyward. “I dunno, why are there nine of them?”

Jim pulled out his phone and typed away on it. Leo kept watching the game; the home team just swapped in and the batter swung away at the incoming pitches.

A few moments later, Jim spoke up. “In Cricket, an inning refers to the play of one player, but the term’s origin is uncertain.” Jim looked up from his phone to meet Leo’s eyes.

“Well, I guess that makes sense… since baseball derives from Cricket, doesn’t it?”

“I’m almost certain. Lemme look.” Jim returned his eyes to his phone.

The batter grounded out. Leo lost interest in watching the next batter walk up to the plate, and looked over Jim’s shoulder to see what he was reading.

“I dunno,” Jim said. “Some sources say yes, others say no… can’t really draw a conclusion from that, you know?”

“No, I suppose not.”

The Iowa fans were disheartened when, by the bottom of the fifth, the visiting team had scored three more runs and the home team hadn’t scored a single one.

Leo’s stomach growled – their ‘dinner’ hadn’t been enough for his appetite. “Are you hungry again?” he asked.

“Always.”

“Want somethin’? I feel like my insides are gonna start eatin’ themselves.”

Jim stroked his jaw in thought before asking for a hotdog. Leo returned with a slice of pizza and Jim’s hotdog just in time to see the second batter line out. More Iowa fans groaned around them.

During the top of the sixth, Jim tapped Leo’s bicep. “Hey, look at that!” He pointed toward one of the many screens to see the ‘kiss cam’ focused on Jim.

The girl next to Jim noticed and looked at Leo’s boyfriend. Leo heard her giggle and saw her lean in on the camera, but Jim glanced to Leo instead.

“Yes?” Jim asked.

“Uh…” The camera stared right at them, and in front of so many people he—

Jim suddenly wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him in to plant a wet smooch on his cheek. Leo’s face warmed with a pleasant blush as a few whoops startled him.

“Sorry, I’m taken,” he heard Jim supply to the girl sitting adjacent to him, though he didn’t hear her reply – he was absently stroking where Jim had kissed him.

The sixth was even worse; not only did the visiting team score another five runs (bringing their total to nine), but it took longer than any other inning, dragging out the defeat of the home team. But Leo couldn’t find it in himself to care that much. Jim kissing him in front of so many people left him feeling breathless, a touch of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He pawed at his side, searching for Jim’s hand. When he found it, he clasped it in his, twining their fingers together. He looked up to see Jim’s cheeks coloring as he gave a shy smile.

From then on the game was merely background noise. Although neither team made any more runs – leaving the score at nine to zero, a shameful loss for the home team – Jim and Leo entertained themselves by talking about everything and nothing. Leo let his accent out, frustrating Jim to no end. In retaliation, at one point Jim leaned in close as he stroked Leo’s hand and whispered, “I’m thinkin’ about you, with your fingers on the head of your cock,” leaving Leo with a nearly painful erection he desperately tried to hide by draping an arm over his lap.

The game dragged on until it finally ended at ten. With the game over and the Iowa fans decidedly unhappy, they left the stadium and headed back to Jim’s house. Leaving was a nightmare and traffic was _worse_ ; they didn’t get back until nearly eleven.

Jim plopped down on his bed once they were in his room and yawned loudly, baring teeth almost like an animal. “Oh man I’m tired.”

Were Leo not also tired, he’d suggest something a bit more intimate than simply sharing a bed to work off Jim’s dirty talking. Instead they prepared for bed, stripped to their underwear, and lay down under Jim’s blankets, bodies entwined together.

“Did you have fun at the game?” Jim murmured.

Leo nuzzled his boyfriend’s chest hair and stroked a hand down his back. “Yeah, that was a lot of fun. Bit too noisy for me, though.”

“Well you get to watch another game tomorrow,” Jim said, muffled by Leo’s hair. He could hear the smile in his voice, and his boyfriend pressed a kiss to his head. “You’re coming over after, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Gonna take more pictures?” Jim asked with a chuckle.

Leo hummed as Jim petted his head. “Yeah.”

Jim stifled a yawn and held him tighter. Leo molded to him, snuggling into his best friend.

“Get some sleep, will ya? You got a big day tomorrow.”

“Okay. Good night, Leo.”

Jim’s hand gently carded through Leo’s hair until Jim stilled. Jim sort of fell over onto him, but the soft hair all over him made him feel a bit like the plush quilt on them. Leo listened to Jim breathing slowly until finally it lulled him to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See the end of this chapter for a new tag. Please note this tag is a spoiler.

The mail came early that Saturday.

While Leo had been preparing for the game, David dropped a plain white envelope addressed to Leo on his table. The return address clearly pointed to Dr. Puri’s office – his results were here. The turnaround time amazed him, it had not even been a full forty-eight hours.

It was completely illogical for Leo to grow nervous over the arrival of the letter, and he knew that. Also illogical was the thought that next popped into his head.

_What if I’m not actually clean? What will Jim say? What will Jim_ do _?_

He left the envelope buried under his pillow – neither of his parents were nosy with his mail, but ever since Eleanora…

Well, he’d rather not think about that.

 

* * *

 

During the game, Leo managed to snap quite a few pictures of his boyfriend. Though, once Jim learned of Leo’s proclivity for capturing him on camera, he sought to give Leo plenty of fodder. Among them was another picture of him showing off his abdomen, a picture of him looking right at Leo with hand horns up and his tongue stuck out, a picture of him stretching his legs out and showing off his butt, a picture of his wide, sunny grin, lots of pictures of him running, and even a few of him flexing some muscle. Leo’s favorites were the few pictures of him dodging opposing players as he ran the ball down the field. He’d have to show Jim the photos once at his house.

The game went very well, all things considered. Jim scored one try out of three – which Leo captured as a video – and the team scored a few drop goals, leading to a final score of twenty-seven. The opposing team only managed to score a try, two drop goals, and a penalty, leading to a final score of sixteen.

Speaking of his almost annoyingly cheerful and bulky boyfriend, as soon as the game concluded and the players were released, Jim darted off to his car and drove home rather than shower with the team. How curious.

 

* * *

 

Leo’s anxiety resurfaced once he returned home, the letter under his pillow constantly intruding his thoughts.

_What if I’m not clean?_

It didn’t particularly matter that that was (probably) impossible, there was always that slim chance, that _incredibly_ slim chance…

Maybe that’s why Jim had been so nervous.

The tension threatening to lock his body in place only increased as he drove to Jim’s. He wanted – _needed_ – to know what was in the envelope, but opening it now would undermine the entire point of sharing it with Jim. He hadn’t known what his said. It wouldn’t be fair to open it early.

Jim had given him the gift of peace of mind; now Leo would give it to Jim.

“Hey,” Jim said as he let Leo in. Once he closed the front door, he strode forward, took Leo’s face in his hands and kissed him, soft and tender. “Been looking forward to this,” he whispered, puffs of breath tickling Leo’s lips.

Leo smiled and pulled his boyfriend into an embrace. They stood in the front hall for a few moments, Jim stroking down Leo’s back and kissing his neck as Leo tried desperately to calm his racing heart.

“Are you okay? You’re really tense.” Jim pulled away, his eyes searching Leo as he furrowed his brow in concern. “Did something happen?”

“No, uh… no, I’m…” Deep breaths, Leo. “I have something for you,” he blurted, eyes widening as soon as the words parted his lips.

“Really?” Jim asked, eyebrows raising. “What is it?”

“Let’s, uh… go to your room.”

Once they sat on Jim’s bed, Leo unzipped his backpack and pulled out the envelope, steeling his nerves for Jim’s reaction.

“Is that… did you—”

“Yeah,” Leo croaked. “I want to open it with you.”

Jim gazed at him, eyes bright and full of emotion, before pulling Leo in for another soft press of lips. Jim’s gentle kissing and tender caressing took the edge off his anxiety. They parted and Jim gave him a tiny smile. “Do you wanna open it or should I?”

“Um, you can open it.”

Heart pounding and sweating profusely, Leo handed the envelope over to his boyfriend, who carefully tore it open and unceremoniously pulled out the paperwork. He watched Jim’s eyes scan the paper, his lips curling upward as he did until his smile reached his eyes. “Leo! You’re clean!”

“I… am? I mean – I am!”

Jim excitedly shoved the paper in his face. Every tested infection yielded one of two results:

_Negative._

_Non-reactive._

“You know what that means,” Jim said. In Leo’s adrenaline rush, the rhetorical question was lost on him.

“What does it mean?”

Jim gave him a sly grin. “We don’t have to use condoms.” He pulled Leo close and worked his tongue between Leo’s lips, turning a sweet moment into something heated. Leo pushed him down on the bed and fervently kissed his lover, tongues tangling and searching, lips meeting, teeth gently nibbling. Jim’s hands grasped at the back of Leo’s head, pulling him even closer, deepening the kiss until teeth clicked together.

As suddenly as it began, it ended, and Jim looked up at Leo’s eyes locked with his, his smile returning, accompanied by a sheepish laugh.

“Um, I have a surprise for you too.”

“Really?” Leo asked, pressing his lips to Jim’s cheek.

Jim giggled and returned the kiss. “Yeah, I’m gonna go get it ready, okay?”

Jim seemed reluctant to climb out from under Leo before he wandered off down the hallway, leaving Leo to patiently sit on his bed. He heard running water. After a few moments of perusing some posters of the Orion and Carina nebulae, Jim returned and took Leo’s hands.

“It’s almost ready, come with me, okay?”

Jim walked him backward down the hallway, pressing kisses to Leo’s lips every few steps. They approached the bathroom, and the sound of running water grew louder and—

Jim was filling up the bathtub. Water cascaded down from a faucet set in one corner; various bottles of bath supplies were piled in the other. Jim gave him another kiss and drew him forward to stand on the fluffy bath mat. “I was thinking you could… take a… bath with me?”

“Really?” Leo chuckled with glee.

“Is that a yes?”

Leo nodded. “Uh… yeah! I just wasn’t expecting something like this.”

While the tub filled, the two boys sweetly kissed and stripped each other as much as they could without parting lips. By the time they took off each other’s underwear, the tub was getting pretty full. Jim shut off the water and slowly lowered himself in. Leo watched the water engulf his legs, his crotch, his abdomen, until he was fully seated with his legs stretching to the other end.

“Um… hold on.” Leo stepped in and lowered himself in, careful not to slip. After a bit of rearranging, they found a comfortable position sitting somewhat in the middle. Though their legs were bent and practically wrapped around each other, the hot water helped to relax his muscles until he barely noticed their positioning.

Jim met his eyes and quietly chuckled. “Um… this is really nice,” he mumbled as he rubbed one of Leo’s legs. He grabbed a bottle of shampoo and handed it to Leo. “Do you wanna…”

Leo inspected the black bottle: the product swore no synthetic ingredients and vaguely smelled of trees. The label denoted it as ‘sandalwood’ and it looked on the pricier side.

“Um… here, use this.” Jim handed him a plastic water glass, and Leo scooped some up to slowly dump on his boyfriend’s head. It ran down in streams, wetting his hair and trailing down his face. When his hair was soaked, Jim spat out a bit of water that had made it to his mouth and wiped the excess away from his eyes. He looked younger with his hair matted down – more boyish than normal, though his sculpted body betrayed that.

Leo lathered up some shampoo and began massaging it into Jim’s scalp. Jim smiled softly as Leo worked the lathers into the blond hair under his fingers and the smell of sandalwood filled the room. Jim looked so happy to just sit there and let Leo wash his hair; a wonderful warmth built up in his chest. He leaned forward to kiss his forehead, and Jim’s smile widened.

Once he rinsed the shaggy blond hair, Jim handed him another bottle, this time of body wash. This one – also sandalwood, that must be why Jim smelled so earthy – was the same brand as the shampoo. No sulfates, phthalates, dyes, the list went on – the bathing products Jim used all promised all natural ingredients. He worked it into sudsy bubbles between his fingers and began to wash his best friend off, starting with his neck and working down to his shoulders and chest. The muscle and bulk easily yielded under his touch, the other man perfectly relaxed in Leo’s presence. Once his shoulders and neck were soaped up, he moved to clean Jim’s arms.

Jim’s arms were easily one of his more impressive features, the firm muscle painstakingly built up over years of toiling in the gym. He ran his hands down the thick biceps and hairy forearms, gently appreciating every cord of muscle Jim had carefully built. Jim looked so content as Leo cleaned him that something in his chest twinged and he felt an overwhelming need to say something.

“I… I really care for you, Jim,” he murmured. Jim blushed as Leo scrubbed his underarm. “You – I – I don’t even know how to put it into words.” Leo started on Jim’s other arm, kneading into the powerful muscle. “You’re so smart,” he said as he lifted Jim’s hand to press a kiss to the back. “So funny,” as he soaped up his hand. After a moment he rinsed the soap away and started sensually rubbing body wash over Jim’s pecs. He stilled his hand over Jim’s heart. “So kind to me…” Their foreheads met for a moment as Leo massaged Jim’s furry belly, his fingers dipping into the hard muscle and soft hair carding between them as he cleansed away the sweat and grime from the game. “You’re my – my best friend and I—”

When words failed him, Leo pulled Jim in for a long kiss. Jim pulled him closer, arms and legs wrapping around him until there was as little space as possible between them. When Jim pulled away he trailed kisses from Leo’s lips down his jaw to mouth at his neck. “Will you do my back?” he mumbled into Leo’s shoulder as he stroked down his back.

Washing Jim’s back was effortless with how close they sat. Jim tenderly hugged him as Leo soaped up his well-muscled back, trailing further down until his hands neared his waist, where Leo paused.

“It’s okay,” Jim said, apparently sensing Leo’s hesitation. Leo lathered up more body wash and dunked his hands under to wash his boyfriend’s butt. Leo had previously seen – but not touched – Jim’s backside. Now, however, the firm muscle filled his palms as he kneaded Jim’s glutes. Sparse fur brushed his fingers as Leo scrubbed until the soap dispersed and he just rubbed his butt. Jim shivered when Leo’s fingers dipped into the crease between his cheeks. A quiet, rumbling laugh carried from Jim through to Leo’s chest. “Maybe not that low yet.”

Leo trailed his hands over Jim’s lower back, dipping ever lower to caress his ass. Jim seemed to appreciate Leo’s intimate touch, pressing kisses into his neck and behind his ear as his fingers explored the contours of his bulky muscle.

When he finished, Jim drew away again to look Leo in the eye and grab his hands.

“Um… do you – would you wash my…” Leo raised an eyebrow. “Would you wash… me?” Jim asked shyly, his face reddening.

“Um… I mean I—” The beautiful smile Leo received sealed his fate. “—okay.”

“Do you want – I mean, uh – how about I sit like this?” Jim pulled himself out of the water and sat on the edge of the tub, resting his arms on his legs spread open for Leo. Leo took a cross-legged seat in front of him. He stared at Jim’s crotch; his dick and balls hung low from the heat of their bath. Leo had obviously seen them before but the idea of _touching_ Jim’s cock seemed far more intimidating than just looking. This would be his first time ever touching someone in such a private place.

When a hand met his hair and started petting, Leo looked up to see Jim smiling fondly. “You don’t have to get me off, okay? Although I wouldn’t object,” Jim chuckled.

The tension plaguing Leo fled as Jim stroked down his neck. He lathered up some body wash and carefully cupped Jim’s balls to gently roll them between his fingers. Leo watched Jim’s cock grow and harden. As Jim’s manhood filled, his balls drew up as well. He touched cautiously, gently – Jim huffed out a breath when Leo soaped up behind his sack – as Jim let him clean one of the most vulnerable parts of a man’s body.

Leo’s breath caught in his throat – this was his first time touching his boyfriend, touching _anyone._

He was totally hard now, and the body wash served as a good enough lube as Leo slowly gripped Jim’s cock, feeling the heft of the hot shaft between his fingers. He stroked up and down, spreading the soap as much as he could as Jim kept petting him. Leo could easily feel Jim’s pulse through his dick, lightly throbbing as Leo cleaned his boyfriend’s crotch. Every so often Jim huffed out a breath from the sensation of Leo playing with him.

Leo explored everything: how heavy Jim’s balls were – and how they were covered in sparse, soft fur. The curves of his dick and how sensitive his cock head was, the slight gasps of arousal every time his fingers brushed over the crown or when his fingers stroked down to the hilt.

This was probably the first time Jim let someone touch him; Jim trusted him enough to let him clean him. It sent a powerful pang of emotion through his chest when it sunk in how momentous this was for both of them, for their relationship.

Leo turned to press a kiss to Jim’s wet, furry knee, and Jim leaned in to press one to Leo’s head. After he rinsed away the soap from between Jim’s legs, he trailed up and down the lengths of his thighs, occasionally kissing or moving his hand up to rub Jim’s belly fur. He returned his hands to Jim’s wet cock, exploring how it looked and how it felt between his fingers. He cradled Jim’s balls in his other hand as he slowly stroked Jim’s length.

“Can I wash you now?” Jim asked quietly. Leo looked up to see him gazing down affectionately.

“Okay.”

After a moment of moving and shifting, Jim sat across from him again. He wetted Leo’s hair and massaged sandalwood-scented shampoo into his scraggly locks until Jim’s careful ministrations somehow tamed it.

“I really care for you too, you know,” Jim said quietly. His hands moved down to scrub Leo’s jaw with the shampoo. “Your beard is growing in really nicely, by the way,” he commented. “You’re gonna have a good scruff soon.” Down to his shoulders, scrubbing what little sweat there was away. “You’re thoughtful,” Jim murmured as he moved to Leo’s underarm. “Caring,” as he washed his arms. “Brilliant.”

Once his arms were done, Jim pulled Leo in closer so their faces were inches apart. He started washing Leo’s pecs as he gazed into his eyes.

“I dunno how I lucked out and got someone so sweet.”

Leo snorted when Jim washed his tummy, tickling him as he trailed his fingers through the soft hair. He spent extra time lavishing Leo’s stomach with affectionate touches, rubbing his pecs or playing with his treasure trail.

After pouring water down his chest, Jim reached for a bottle of conditioner and spread some between his hands. Rather than his head, Jim spread it over Leo’s chest to gently condition his body hair. Their bath was already intimate enough, but now he was massaging him?

“I like to bury my face in your fur,” Jim whispered with a wide grin, as if it were a dirty secret. “Gotta make sure it’s nice and soft. Besides sweet,” he said, playfully leering before pouring water to clean away the conditioner. “You’re pretty hot, too.”

“Oh stop,” Leo said, rolling his eyes. He held onto Jim as he pulled him in to wash his back, hugging him as best he could.

“Really,” Jim insisted. Leo jumped a bit when strong hands kneaded his ass and Jim huffed out a breathy laugh. He drew away to look Leo in the eye with his brilliant cerulean eyes. “Really,” he murmured, then pressed a kiss to Leo’s cheek. “ _Really,_ ” as he trailed his lips down to kiss Leo’s neck.

‘Hot’ wasn’t an adjective Leo had ever thought to use for himself. Whenever he looked in the mirror he saw someone ordinary, someone plain. Jim just smiled into his shoulder as he stroked his hands down Leo’s butt. Well, at least Jim appreciated his rear.

“Do you wanna… um… will you… wash me too?”

Jim gave his ass one last affectionate squeeze and he reared back to give Leo enough space to clamber onto the side of the tub. Jim positioned himself as best as possible given how big his frame was, and Leo spread his legs for him. His nerves made an untimely return, and he tensed up, but Jim stroked down his leg trying to calm him.

“You want me to stop?”

Leo laid a hand on Jim’s head to scratch at his wet blond tangle of hair. “No.”

Jim lathered up more soap and gingerly cupped Leo’s balls, ever so lightly rolling them in his hand. Leo twitched a bit from the totally new sensation of someone else touching him between his legs. It felt good – _really_ good, actually, good enough that it wasn’t long before he was hard as a rock. A glance down showed him that Jim was equally aroused, his stiff cock floating in the water – but Jim’s touch remained slow and methodical. Curious fingers explored Leo’s crotch, unhurriedly learning every detail: the contours of his balls; the weight of his cock; the curve of the head, the girth and length; how sensitive Leo was right behind his balls.

Jim rinsed the soap away, leaving Leo uncensored for only Jim. Jim, who was so grateful for Leo’s trust in him, as he mapped out Leo’s lap, that he wore a constant smile as Leo petted him.

“God, I can’t get over how _big_ you are.” Leo’s cock twitched, and Jim gave him a cocky half-grin. “You like when I say that, huh?” He stroked a bit more intently and thumbed the slit of his cock before letting go and pressing a kiss to Leo’s tummy. “Let’s rinse off.”

Jim drained the dirty water and started the shower, using the handheld to blast away any leftover soap residue. He mounted it on the wall and pulled Leo in, bringing their groins – and still-hard cocks – together as he wrapped his arms low around Leo’s back. Jim’s dick pressing into him was even hotter than his own pressing against Jim, but Jim just sweetly kissed him.

_Part of me never thought I’d even get to take you on a date._

Leo had thought similar. It gave him a new appreciation, not only for how difficult it must be for two men to find each other in the world they live in, but also for Jim’s bravery in coming to him and sharing such a deep secret. When their kiss ended, Leo hugged Jim tight, unable to vocalize how grateful he was to have Jim in his life.

When he shut off the shower, Jim grabbed a pair of towels off the linens shelf and they patted each other dry – mostly dry, anyway – then retreated to Jim’s room.

“Hey,” Jim started, his lips curving into a smile. “You know that massage I keep offering?”

“Yeah?” Leo asked, heart beating faster.

“Can I give you one, now?”

A sheepish grin crept to Leo’s lips and he blushed a bit. “Yeah, yeah I’d like that.”

Jim hung his head and scratched the back of his neck. “I actually… wasn’t sure if you’d want one, so I don’t have any oil. It’s kind of expensive. Is… hand lotion okay?”

Leo didn’t care what he used. “I don’t see why not.”

Jim gave him another kiss and walked him over to the bed. “Lay down on your front, okay?”

Leo lay down on Jim’s bed and made himself as comfortable as he could. All in all it wasn’t awful, a bit of tension in his neck, but not much. He turned his head and saw Jim standing at his side, rubbing lotion between his hands.

“Lemme know if anything hurts. Just relax.”

Leo closed his eyes and wondered what Jim would actually do – he’d never had a massage before. What he hadn’t been expecting was a kiss right to his shoulder blade and fingers lightly trailing over the muscle. The gentle touches mingled around several parts of his back. Jim kept kissing until Leo finally spoke up.

“What’re you doin’?”

Jim hummed to himself. “You have a lot of freckles.”

“Huh?”

“I’m kissing your freckles,” Jim said, chuckling quietly. He pressed more kisses to various places on his back until Jim’s hands met his shoulders and he kneaded various muscles, smearing lotion everywhere. “You’ve made a ton of progress at the gym, you know that?”

Leo made a noncommittal grunt.

“All this muscle on your shoulders and your back…” Jim murmured as his hands worked Leo’s body, and Leo’s awareness narrowed to the tender presses of palms as Jim praised his gym gains. Deft fingers worked out tension and caressed his back, sometimes sending a shiver up Leo’s spine from how sensual Jim’s touch was. After a few minutes, Jim kissed behind his ear. “I’m gonna sit behind you, okay?”

Leo hummed his assent, and a heavy weight straddled his thighs; he definitely felt his boyfriend’s dick laying on top of his butt.

“This okay?”

“Uh huh,” Leo mumbled.

Jim worked his lower back to release any knots before trailing lower to palm at his glutes. “God, you have a nice butt, too,” Jim whispered. He laughed sheepishly, bringing a smile to Leo’s lips. The most of Jim’s time massaging him was spent kneading his ass, appreciating the muscle now much firmer than Leo recalled it being a few weeks ago. His cock hardened and press into Jim’s sheets; he noticed Jim was also quite hard, his dick resting right along the gap between his ass cheeks. “I just…” Jim gave a very light slap to one of Leo’s cheeks. “You have _such_ a nice butt.”

“Can’t be that great, can it?” Leo asked.

“I could do this all day.” Jim’s touch stilled so his hands simply rested on Leo’s rear. “I mean… it’s the perfect firmness in all the right places.” His hands started kneading again. Suddenly the weight lifted off him and Jim pressed kisses to Leo’s back again, trailing them lower and lower until he pressed a few to his butt. “Okay, let’s flip you over.”

Leo huffed as he turned himself over in place, his erection flopping to rest against his stomach.

“Uh, let’s prop you up, too. How’s that?”

Leo moved further up the bed and Jim arranged some of his pillows behind him until Leo lay like he were on a chaise. Jim sat on Leo’s lap, practically crotch-to-crotch. They were still quite hard, and Jim’s massage wasn’t helping with that at all. With Leo now sitting up, he was just a foot and a half or so away from Jim’ face.

He cupped Leo’s jaw and give him a sweet kiss. “Comfortable?” he asked, smiling softly.

“Yeah.”

Jim leaned in again, this time to kiss down Leo’s neck. His lips left a path going further and further down until Jim left a smooch on his chest. His tongue darted out to give a lick to his chest hair, and Leo’s dick started to hurt from how hard he was.

Jim carded his fingers through the hair coating Leo. “Am I imagining, or are you hairier now?”

“Probably not, hasn’t been that long since you last saw it.”

It had only been two weeks since Leo first let Jim see him without a shirt – _two weeks?_ Had it really only been that long?

Jim gave him a mock scoff. “Well I think there’s more of it.”

“Pft. Okay,” Leo muttered, though he smiled anyway.

He watched Jim run his palms over his chest, sometimes wandering further down to follow his treasure trail. “I can’t wait for it to grow in more,” Jim said. “I like your fur, a lot.” His lips split into a grin and he laughed as he softly kneaded Leo’s pecs.

Leo blushed brightly as his boyfriend kissed his chest again, and he brought a hand up to card through Jim’s hair. His opinion of his own body hair had improved dramatically since starting to date Jim. Then again, a lot of his opinions of himself had changed. It was certainly one of the nicer things in life, having someone build you up with praise, having someone care for you as both a friend and an intimate partner.

“Your chest has seen some great gains,” Jim said as he massaged the muscle – it did seem much firmer lately. He trailed his hands lower down Leo’s torso to palm his belly. “You’re definitely slimmer than when I first met you.” He glanced back up to meet Leo’s eyes and smiled. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

A lump in his throat formed as Jim ran his hands up Leo’s belly to his shoulders. He gripped Jim’s hips as he massaged his upper arms.

“Look at how big your arms are now,” he murmured. His biceps were much bulkier than at the beginning of winter semester – he could feel them resist Jim’s touch when he tensed them.

Leo ran his hands up Jim’s sides and over his tummy. “You think I could be as fit as you some day?”

“If you keep at it. It’ll take a while, but don’t get discouraged. You’ve already made so much progress in such a short time. You’re only gonna get bigger.” Jim leaned in to kiss Leo’s bicep, trailing his lips over the soft skin.

Jim’s gentle worship of his body nearly brought tears to his eyes. He spent more time kissing Leo’s biceps, trailing down his arms, then back up to his shoulders. Leo carded through Jim’s soft blond hair when he moved back up to Leo’s neck.

“You are so beautiful, Leo,” Jim whispered.

While Jim showered him with kisses and they petted each other, Leo felt Jim’s hard dick – resting hot and heavy against his belly – as a constant presence, right next to his own stiff cock. Both were leaking precum at this point, all over Leo’s belly hair.

When Jim reached for the lotion again, Leo thought he’d be getting a chest massage, but Jim locked eyes with him and said low and sultry, “I wanna make you feel good. Can I?”

Leo glanced down at their cocks again. He already let Jim touch him once, but what did he want? Would he expect something in return if he got Leo off? Jim looked at him expectantly, lotion at the ready.

“Uh, okay,” he croaked.

Once he had a pump of moisturizer on his fingers, Jim spread it over Leo’s cock, the cool lotion a stark contrast to the warm body sitting on top of him. Jim wrapped his fingers around Leo’s shaft and gently twisted, spreading the makeshift lube over his entire dick. “Tell me if you don’t like something I do,” Jim murmured before he gave Leo a soft kiss.

Heavy as he may be, Jim opted not to give him a bit more space, keeping their groins together as he worked Leo’s manhood. The slow stroking of his boyfriend’s fingers over his length felt incredible -- even better than when they were sharing a bath. The slick feel of skin on skin along his cock sent sparks of pleasure through him and his toes curled.

_What if I’m no good at it? What if I disappoint him?_

Jim lay a hand on Leo’s belly, letting it ride his breath up and down, thumbing along his thick trail of hair. His pace slowed to the sort Leo loved doing to himself, dragging out the pleasure as long as possible. Then he pulled on the crown of his dick with his fingers, just how Leo liked, but…

_What if he wants something I can’t do for him?_

“Leo, what’s the matter?”

He gave a start at that, eyes refocusing on Jim, who had moved his hands to Leo’s shoulders, his cerulean eyes concerned.

“You’re stiff as a board in all the wrong places. What’s wrong?”

Leo glanced down and noticed he’d gone limp from anxiety. That was… a little embarrassing. “Um, I’m – I’m really nervous.”

“Obviously,” Jim said, huffing out a quiet laugh. “Why, though?”

Leo let his eyes fall away to focus on nothing in particular. “I – I just – I want it to be good for you.”

“Good for me?” Jim asked, his brow furrowed.

“Yeah. When I… do it.”

“Oh Leo,” Jim sighed. “I just wanna spend time with you doing… something intimate.” He ran a hand up and down Leo’s tummy. “I don’t expect anything in return. I just wanna make you feel good, like I said.”

Well that made him feel like a terrible boyfriend. All Jim wanted was to be with him, to hold him and touch him, and here he was thinking he’d suddenly be demanding.

“You really wanna do it for me?” Jim asked quietly.

“Why wouldn’t I? I wanna – I wanna make you feel good, too.”

Jim gave a soft smile and ran his hand over Leo’s heart. “Well, can I do anything to take the edge off?”

Maybe getting the reciprocation out of the way would do it. “Maybe if… I go first?”

That must have sounded just as counterintuitive as Leo thought it was, because Jim gave him a skeptical look. “Well, as long as you remember I don’t care about getting off right now. I just wanna spend time with you.”

“Okay. Yeah, I – can I go first?”

Jim smiled, nodded, and shifted off Leo to sit with his back against the wall, legs outstretched. Leo sat in front of him so all of him was within arm’s reach. He pumped out a slurp of lotion onto his fingers, and Jim’s outstretched hand entered his field of vision. Leo glanced up to see Jim with a soft grin on his face. When Leo didn’t move, he grabbed his left hand and gently held onto it.

“It’s not about getting me off, okay?” Jim murmured.

Leo stared for a moment before his gaze softened considerably. “Okay.”

Leo coated Jim’s cock with lotion – god, it was such a big cock – making it twitch with interest. He watched it fill as he trailed his wet fingers over it until it stood proud and tall. A gentle stroke made Jim shudder with pleasure, encouraging Leo to continue.

Slowly he stroked the length of his boyfriend’s dick, watching the head disappear between his fingers and Jim’s belly heave. Jim’s thumb stroked down his, and Leo reversed his grip to give a backhanded stroke, twisting his hand as he did so. Jim’s leg twitched and he held back a whimper.

“Oh Leo, that’s good,” he said lowly. He exhaled slowly as he watched Leo work his cock. Leo let go of his hand and cupped his balls as he trailed fingers along the bottom of his dick, pausing to ghost a finger right under the head. Jim’s entire body seemed to jerk, and he gave a strangled moan and bit his lip. “Jesus, your hands are magic.”

Jim’s eyes were blown wide and his jaw agape. He brought a hand up to card through Leo’s hair and gently pet him.

“God… Leo, that feels so good.”

A small laugh left Leo’s lips. He shifted his fingers to more carefully cradle Jim’s balls, surrounding them with warmth. Jim seemed to really enjoy having his balls held, and the hand petting Leo trailed down to caress his jaw.

Leo had just started to brush his fingers over the head of Jim’s cock when he noticed a big drop of precum gathered at the slit. He recalled Jim eating his own precum, and wondered what it’d taste like.

Feeling particularly empowered, he gave a devious glance up at Jim and scooted backward to give himself enough room to grab Jim’s cock with both of his hands to twist in opposite directions. Jim moaned his name, making Leo’s cock jerk. When he was sure Jim was looking, Leo leaned down and stretched his tongue out to lick at the tip of Jim’s cock. Jim gave another moan and Leo—

A jet of cum suddenly shot out, landing squarely on his tongue. Leo drew back in surprise and watched Jim’s belly heave and his jaw drop. He huffed out noisy breaths of pleasure as his cock throbbed between Leo’s hands. Spurts of cum pumped out to land in Jim’s belly fur and stripe Leo’s fingers with his boyfriend’s semen, making a sticky mess. Leo stroked him through the last few throbs of his orgasm; the last pulse of his cock sent cum streaming down the head of his dick.

“Oh god… Leo, that…” Jim gasped, trying to collect himself. “That felt amazing,” he exhaled. He framed Leo’s face with his hands and tenderly thumbed at his cheek.

Leo hadn’t swallowed, and now that he wasn’t distracted with the sight of his boyfriend spurting cum all over himself, he noticed the flavor of Jim – a little bitter, a little sweet. “You don’t taste too bad,” he said, then licked off a drop of cum stuck to his lips.

“Oh god that’s hot,” Jim murmured, shaking his head. “Sorry about the lack of warning,” he mumbled.

“No, it’s okay, I think – I think I would have been distracted too.”

Jim grinned and pulled Leo in for a kiss. “Lemme return the favor, lemme make you feel good, please?”

Another kiss, and Leo nodded.

Jim cleaned them off with some tissues, then had Leo sit up against the wall. Once situated, Jim lubed him up again and slowly stroked the entire length of Leo’s cock.

Leo squirmed under him, the pleasure sparking up his spine practically mind-numbing, unable to think of anything other than his boyfriend stroking him off. Jim rubbed a palm up and down his belly, the warm gesture a contrast to the debauchery of his other hand

“That good?” Jim asked, voice rough from moaning. He bit back a smile as he trailed his fingers up Leo’s cock, giving the tip a light tug. He rubbed right under the head and Leo gasped. The tension pooling in his belly skyrocketed when Jim rubbed the head of Leo’s cock against his palm; he jerked violently and clawed at the bed sheets.

“Oh god,” he groaned. Jim cupped his balls, eliciting a curious emotion Leo didn’t have any time to process. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the blond shock of hair in front of him when Jim made a ring around his dick and drew it up and down. In fact, everything Leo loved doing, Jim did for him.

Every few moments he’d back off from Leo’s dick to rub his stomach. Jim leaned in to exchange a kiss, nibbling his lip as he drew away. “Good so far?”

“Uh huh,” Leo huffed.

Just the sight of Jim was sometimes enough to get Leo going. Jim naked sitting across from him did it even better, but the sight of Jim’s fingers curled around his cock, gently bringing him off? You may as well bury Leo right now. He let his head fall back to rest against the wall, but he jerked forward and watched with rapt fascination as Jim twisted his hand and thumbed at the head of his dick.

“Come on Leo,” Jim cooed. “I wanna see you cum.”

Jim brushed over the head of his cock again and Leo felt the floodgates of pleasure burst open. “Oh god, Jim,” he moaned as his cock pulsed hard. Jim smiled as Leo pumped cum all over his belly to land in sticky ropes, one hitting Jim’s palm before he could pull away in time. Jim stroked him agonizingly slowly through his orgasm, squeezing out Leo’s cum to drip and land in his treasure trail. “God, that was good.” Leo locked eyes with Jim and laughed sheepishly. “I – we actually just did that.”

“God, man, that _accent._ Keep talking like that and I’ll be ready to go again.” Jim grinned wide and glanced down at his hand where a long stripe of cum was still stuck to his hand. “Hey, watch this…”

Leo’s eyes widened as Jim licked Leo’s cum off and made a show of smacking his lips.

“You taste pretty good,” he chuckled.

They both erupted into embarrassed laughter, Jim blushing brightly as he grabbed the tissues and handed them to Leo. After a few moments of scrubbing at his stomach he gave up on getting the rest of the cum out of his hair.

“That, uh – that was really hot,” Jim laughed, running his hands up and down Leo’s thighs.

“Yeah, I – I um… I wanna see you cum again,” Leo murmured, blushing even harder as he avoided Jim’s gaze as best as possible – until he drew Leo between his arms.

“I wanna nap for now.” Jim pressed a kiss to Leo’s cheek and fell backward onto the sheets so Leo was on top of him. They were both still sticky; Leo felt his hair sticking to Jim, but at that moment he couldn’t care less. He snuggled into Jim’s chest, feeling the fur drag against his cheek and smelling sandalwood. With Jim’s arms around him and both sated for now, Leo couldn’t think of anywhere he’d rather be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is now informally flagged with the 'Underage' archive warning and ‘explicit’ for detailed sexual interaction. No other archive warnings apply.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See end of chapter for notice of potentially discomforting material. Please note this notice is a spoiler.

An insistent pressing of lips against his face gently brought Leo from sleep. He cracked his eyes open to see Jim smiling wide. His eyes shone bright, and his cock pressed against Leo’s.

“Hey,” Jim said, pulling Leo closer to nuzzle his neck. Leo wrapped tight around him and pressed his lips against the thick bands of muscle and licked, tasting his sweat. “Ah, that tickles!”

Leo hummed into Jim’s shoulder as he lightly sucked on the skin, still licking. Jim laughed and pushed him away; Leo’s lips popped off his shoulder, leaving a red love bite behind.

“Quit it!” Leo grabbed for Jim’s shoulders, his hands latching on again after a moment of flailing. Jim brought him in close again to burrow into his neck to lick and suck on him. When he let go he curled around Leo and hugged him tight, strong arms finding purchase around Leo’s smaller body. He hummed contentedly and stroked down his back.

Leo quickly learned that one of Jim’s favorite things to do was cuddle. He was like a big teddy bear. A big, muscular teddy bear that pressed against him from every angle imaginable, including below the belt.

“You’re still hard?” Leo asked. Not that he wasn’t hard too.

“Hey, I’m hugging my very hot and very naked boyfriend,” Jim gave Leo’s butt a playful squeeze. “You can’t blame me for getting hard.” He sat them upright, effortlessly moving Leo. “Besides, I have the mental image of you cumming all over my hand and your stomach locked away in my spank bank forever. You expect me to not revisit that?”

Leo blushed and leaned in to kiss him. “Okay, fine. I might be thinkin’ about how you tasted.”

“I might be thinking about how you looked when you came. _God_ it was amazing.” Jim’s hands came up to frame his face. “I say this way too much, but… Leo, you’re so beautiful.”

Leo gazed into Jim’s eyes, so blue and earnest and full of affection it hurt in his chest. One of Jim’s hands trailed along his jaw, scratching at his growing beard, then up to cup the back of his head and pull him in for a sweet kiss.

“It’ll never be too much,” Leo whispered into Jim’s lips when they parted.

They slowly kissed for a few minutes, gently petting and hugging. Jim kissed him until he felt breathless, his lips a fiery presence against Leo’s. Leo broke the kiss first, only to trail his lips along Jim’s cheek until he kissed his forehead.

“You’re not too bad yourself.”

“Don’t inflate my ego even more, everyone at school does that enough.”

More petting, more kissing, then Leo noticed he was hungry – and that his belly still felt sticky.

“Uh… Jim, we’re both still dirty.”

Jim pulled away from where he had been sucking on Leo’s neck. “So?”

“It’s a little uncomfortable, and I’m hungry too.”

“I guess we should actually get out of bed some time, huh? How about… I go make us something, and you get something to wash up?”

While Leo fetched cloths from the linens shelf in the hallway closet, Jim plodded off to the kitchen. He took a few minutes debating what size of towel to use. When he joined Jim, he was stirring a creamy red soup on the stove and grilling sandwiches. Leo walked up to him and hugged him from behind, to rub a damp cloth up and down his furry abs.

“Whoa!” Jim said with a jump, squeezing Leo’s hand before returning to grilling.

“Should you really be grilling with greasy food when you’re _naked?_ ”

“It’s not that greasy! It’s a BLT!”

“Oh really,” Leo crossed his arms when Jim turned to face him. “A BLT?”

“It’s turkey bacon!” Leo glared “Okay, fine, the bacon is a bit greasy, but I blotted it off with paper towels when it was done in the microwave.”

Leo narrowed his glare until Jim shrunk under the heat of it. “Okay.”

“Remind me to make you angry more.”

“What? Why?”

“You’re _really_ hot when you’re angry.” Leo rolled his eyes as Jim reached for one of the damp washcloths. “Here, lemme get that.” Jim scrubbed Leo’s belly until his wet hair stuck up every which way.

Leo took a turn washing off Jim’s stomach until he was free of filth and his fur was also a mess.

“How about we watch a movie?”

“Okay.”

“Go pick one while I finish lunch.”

Leo flopped down on the couch in the den and channel surfed until he found a cheesy sci-fi that looked too ridiculous to pass up: a movie from nearly thirty years ago, about a pilot aboard a massive spaceship seizing control of it away from space pirates.

A few minutes into the film, Jim brought in lunch. “Bon appetite!”

Lunch was delicious and the movie hilariously awful. Jim had situated himself behind Leo to spoon him, chin hooked over his shoulder and arms wrapped around his tummy. After a decent chunk of the movie, Jim’s hands trailed lower and Leo felt his boyfriend’s hard length pressing against his ass. Figuring it was just from Jim hugging his ‘very hot and very naked boyfriend’ he ignored it until Jim’s lips met his neck and a hand wrapped around his cock.

“I wanna make you cum again,” Jim whispered when he pulled on the tip of Leo’s dick. “Can I?”

Leo shivered when Jim carded through his belly hair. “Yes,” he sighed.

Jim held him still and stroked for a few moments, not enough to bring him off and just enough to keep him hard. “There’s nothing to lube you up in here, let’s go back to my room.”

Easier said than done. Jim kept interrupting them with kisses, nibbling on his shoulder, grabbing his butt or stroking his cock. It didn’t help at all that Leo returned Jim’s touch almost as much, trying to suck love bites wherever he could reach (and succeeding with several) or grabbing his butt too. Point for point they met each other in the middle, alternating hungry kisses and soft presses of lips. It was nearly infuriating how long it took them to actually get to Jim’s room. By the time they sat down on the bed and had the lotion ready, Leo was sure he’d barely last long at all.

Once Jim had his fingers wrapped around him, slowly stroking, it became much more obvious that was actually the case. Jim did everything he liked: stroked him slowly, cupped his balls, palmed his cock head, but on top of that he added sweet kisses pressed to his belly and thighs.

“God, Leo, you drive me crazy,” he murmured as he nuzzled Leo’s leg. He used his thumb and index to put pressure on just the underside and very top of Leo’s cock, stroking along and squeezing out precum. “Is this what you did when you thought about me?” Jim asked breathily. “Stroke yourself while you imagined me moaning your name?”

Leo groaned and shot his load all over his abdomen, covering his treasure trail in thick cum again. Once he wrung the last of Leo’s cum out, Jim slowly trailed his hand up from Leo’s crotch to rub his belly, not caring at all about the semen covering him. In fact, he seemed to be purposefully spreading Leo’s cum over him.

“Dammit, Jim,” he huffed, once he’d caught his breath. “What’re you doin’?”

“I dunno. Wanted to see if you liked it.”

Well… the cum coating him was certainly warm, the stick was a little uncomfortable, but Jim’s hand still rubbing him, sticking to his hair… that was honestly the most appealing part.

“ _Do_ you like it?” Jim asked hesitantly, looking up at Leo with a bit of apprehension.

“Maybe a little,” Leo reluctantly admitted. Jim began to laugh, though Leo wasn’t sure why. He narrowed his gaze; Jim laughed even harder. “What?”

“You just – you just look so grumpy!” Jim laid his head on Leo’s thigh and patted his belly. “Come on, your boyfriend just made you cum. Smile, Leo.”

Jim’s dopey grin melted Leo’s admittedly exaggerated discontent and his glare softened into a small smile. He shuddered when Jim grabbed his soft cock and purposelessly played with him.

A devious idea popped into Leo’s head. He reached for the lotion and grabbed Jim’s cock, getting a tiny gasp out of him. “My turn.”

Jim lay down on the bed looking expectantly at Leo. The other man was just as hard as Leo had been, with a big dribble of precum stretching from the tip all the way to the hilt of his cock. He slicked him up and stroked, watching Jim writhe under him as he brought him closer to the edge. Leo peppered his thighs and crotch with kisses as well, and Jim gave breathy moans as he worked his cock at a slow, but unrelenting pace.

When Jim’s moans of Leo’s name grew louder and his cock throbbed, Leo aimed him so every rope of cum Jim shot landed as high up his torso as possible in long, beautiful ropes. When his aftershocks faded, Leo straddled his lap and ran his hand through Jim’s semen, making sure to get it in the dips of his six pack and in as much fur as he could.

_Now for vengeance._

The rope on Jim’s chest was his prime target. Leo scooped it up with his fingers and brought it to his lips. Jim gaped at the sight, another noisy huff of breath escaping his lungs. Just as it looked like he was about to eat the entire slurp of cum, Leo lightly slapped Jim’s cheek and wiped his hand off, getting sticky jizz all over his boyfriend’s scruff.

“You little—!”

Leo cackled and darted off for the door, but he wasn’t fast enough. Jim grabbed him and wrapped around him, rolling around on the bed. “Ah, get off me!” Leo laughed as he tried to wrestle his way out of Jim’s arms, but his burly limbs were far too strong. Leo’s laughter worsened when Jim’s fingers danced over his belly and tickled him. “Jim, stop – I can’t breathe!” Leo’s sides hurt from laughing so hard, and although Jim stopped tickling him, his fingers brushed over Leo’s neck and face, leaving behind a sticky mess.

While he caught his breath, Jim pulled him into a tight hug from the front and laid the two of them down, Jim totally covering Leo with his heavy body. Leo kept struggling uselessly against the weight of—

Jim pressed a tiny kiss to Leo’s lips. “Shh, I just wanna cuddle now.”

“Jim, we’re all sticky.”

Leo stopped caring when Jim kept kissing him. Resigned to his fate, he brought his arms around Jim to tenderly pet down his back. Jim gave a happy sigh and burrowed into his neck to suck another hickey on Leo’s neck.

They lay together like that, gently petting and exchanging kisses – at least for a little while.

“Can we, uh… can we take a shower? We’re sticky all over.”

Jim gave him another kiss to his cheek. “You don’t wanna keep cuddling?”

“It’s not that, it’s just…?”

“You don’t like being covered in cum?”

“I—”

Jim sighed melodramatically and rolled off Leo. “Okay, fine.”

Jim stood and led him to the bathroom by the tips of his fingers like Leo were a Disney princess. “What’re you doing?” Leo chuckled. Jim smirked and started up the shower. “You dork.” Jim brought him under the water with a big smile and lathered him up, with lots of kissing in between.

After spending much longer than necessary lathering each other up, they dried off and started homework that they really shouldn’t have been shirking.

 

* * *

 

Although the weekend was full of fun and plenty of bonding time, like all good things it had to come to an end. While they – now clothed – worked on Calculus that evening, Jim cleared his throat.

“Frank is, um… coming tomorrow morning.”

“Oh.” His blood ran cold.

“I don’t want you to be here for it,” Jim said flatly. It stung pretty hard, but…

“I – I don’t really want to be, either. Are you gonna be okay?”

Jim’s impassive stare softened into a smile. “I’ll be fine,” he said, leaning over to give Leo a kiss on the cheek.

“Well, if you’re not… call me, alright? Or come over, I don’t care which.”

“Thank you,” Jim murmured, smiling at him widely. “I will, don’t worry. But the reason I bring it up is because he’ll be here pretty early, so… you can’t spend the night, as much as I’d love to have you here.”

“Aw…” Jim looked as downtrodden as Leo felt. “Well, I understand.”

“He’ll be here until Thursday, I think.” Jim scratched his scruff in thought. “Maybe? I’m not sure. So you know, any… _fun_ that we have can’t be here.”

“Okay.” Leo blushed from the new memories he made with Jim, though he loathed leaving Jim alone with Frank.

“It’s getting pretty late, and he’ll want me up early to work, so… I gotta say goodbye for now.”

“Have you ever thought about reporting him?” Leo asked.

Jim seemed to look through him, focusing on nothing as he sat in thought. “I’d rather not stir up shit, to be honest. I can deal with him.”

“But you shouldn’t have to.”

Jim held his hands up to stop Leo. “Look, it isn’t your concern, okay? Just let me deal with it.”

“But you wouldn’t have to put up with him if you’d just—”

“No, I’ll deal with it.”

This was going downhill, _fast._ “You could call the—”

“No! I’ll do it myself, and that’s that!” A tense silence fell over them, Leo feeling sicker as it stretched on. “I think you should go home now.”

It felt like a punch to the gut. He stared at Jim, who had turned a dead gaze toward him, and gathered his belongings in absolute dejection. Jim escorted him to the front door and feebly attempted to placate him by murmuring “Good night,” then shut the door behind him.

Leo sat in his truck, and sat there for a good while, thinking about how the night had soured so quickly. Everything had been perfect – their bath, Jim’s massage, their first time, dinner and an _orgasm_ – now it ended like this?

He didn’t want to go home like that – or worse, leave Jim in such a bad mood. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of his truck and knocked on the front door. He had to wait for a few moments before Jim opened the door – maybe he’d been debating letting him in. Leo didn’t need to see his face to know how guilty Jim felt; he avoided Leo’s eyes, his shoulders slumped and his head hanging.

“Can I come in?” he asked quietly. Jim nodded and moved aside. Leo took a seat on the far side of the couch in the den. Jim sat on the other. “I don’t like where we left that.”

Jim lifted his gaze to meet Leo’s. “I don’t either.”

Leo took a breath to steady his nerves – it didn’t work – and continued. “I don’t know why I kept pushing it, I just… I’m sorry.”

Jim stayed quiet for a moment, licking his lips and nervously rubbing his thigh. “Remember when I was still breaking the habit of calling you Bones?”

“Yeah, you called me all sorts of weird things, like Leonard and ‘bro’—”

“And Leon.”

Leo glared at him. “I still hate that name.”

Jim reared back as if Leo were an angry animal. “Okay, okay, sheesh. I just – I never asked what you liked because I wanted to figure out on my own.”

Leo raised an eyebrow in confusion. “You what? Why?”

“For a really long time, I haven’t been in control of anything. I had to rely on Frank for so much and my inheritance for more, but now that I’m eighteen and I can sign my – most of my own papers and stuff like that, I _can_ do stuff on my own. I hated relying on him, for anything. Frank is an asshole, but I don’t need him anymore.”

“What did… that have to do with my name?”

Jim stayed quiet in thought for a moment. “I dunno, it’s kind of stupid now that I think about it. I just wanted to figure out what you wanted to be called on my own.”

“But, there’s nothing wrong with just asking me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with _telling_ me, either.”

“I just – I – I figured you wouldn’t call me what I asked to be called. No one else does.”

“Are we both idiots?”

Leo stayed silent for a moment. “Yeah, probably.”

Jim shook his head insistently. “Well, that’s neither here nor there. The point is, I don’t wanna rely on anyone, Leo. I wanna deal with Frank on my own, not get someone else involved. I don’t care that much if he just hits me and yells at me or—”

“But I do,” Leo interrupted. “I don’t wanna see you get hurt, Jim. That – that hurts me too.”

Jim glanced up to meet Leo’s eyes. “Really?”

“Of course. Why would I be happy seeing you get hurt? What kind of boyfriend – what kind of _person_ would I be if I didn’t care?”

Jim gazed sadly at Leo for a few moments, his eyes wandering over him or glancing away as he picked at his nails.

“I just don’t want you getting hurt,” Leo said again, quietly this time.

“Thank you, Leo.” Jim scooted toward him and pulled him in for a tender hug. “That means a lot to me.”

Leo gripped him tightly, hiding his face in Jim’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I pushed so hard.”

“Don’t be. I could have handled it better. I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“Can we forget this happened?”

“Yeah.”

Jim held Leo for a few moments, stroking down his back before pulling away to look him in the eyes. “Any… leftover hurt?”

Leo had his explanation, he had his apology, he’d explained himself – he didn’t think there was anything left. “I don’t think so.”

“Well, if something comes up… tell me, okay? ‘Communication is key.’ That’s what they say, right?”

“That’s what who says?”

“Uh, pretty much everyone? I don’t know. The internet.”

“Right. Well… guess I should go,” Leo murmured.

“I don’t want you to, but… you probably should.”

“Okay.”

Jim saw Leo out to the door again, this time giving him a sweet good night kiss. “I’ll see you Monday.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you then.”

Jim held onto his hands for a few more moments, seeming reluctant to let Leo leave after what transpired.

“We’re okay Jim.”

“Yeah, we’re okay. I’m sorry.”

Leo patted his shoulders reassuringly. “I know.”

“Well… we’re past our first fight as a couple.”

Leo gave a tiny smile. “Yeah. I guess it had to happen at some point.”

“Yeah. Just remember… you mean a lot to me. Don’t forget that”

Leo’s heart warmed and his lips curled into a smile. “Don’t be afraid to rely on me for some things. I’m your boyfriend, Jim. I’m there for you, all you have to do is ask.”

Jim returned a gentle grin and kissed Leo’s forehead. “I’ll try. You have a good night.”

Finally, feeling much better than he had before, Leo tore himself away from Jim and returned to his truck and drove himself home.

 

* * *

 

Eleanora gave a loud shriek when Leo walked in the door. She ran away fanning herself, loudly calling “David! Come here!”

Leo panicked a bit, but when he stepped in front of the foyer mirror, he found out why she was so distraught: there were three lightly purpling hickeys on his neck.

David loudly plodded in, arms akimbo. “What’s goin’ o—oh Christ almighty… El,” he said before marching to their bedroom.

Leo didn’t want to witness their conversation. Instead he turned back to the mirror to look at the love bites. He smiled wide at the memories – he’ll have to wear a shirt with a high collar to school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter contains homophobic slurs early enough that an author note at the beginning of the chapter is not early enough of a warning.


	18. Chapter 18

_**FAG** _

The word stared at him from the surface of Leo’s locker. Someone had aggressively scratched it into the drab brown paint.

Everyone gawked at him and the locker, whispering behind his back. It was so hard to breathe it felt like someone may as well have ripped out one of his lungs.

Every whisper sounded louder and louder as he stared at the word – scratched with an awl in hateful haste – until it was a nearly deafening din.

“Oh god,” he whispered.

He resisted the urge to throw up and slowly turned away from the scene, walking on autopilot until he entered Chemistry in a daze.

When he sat down at their desk, Jim turned to face him and immediately frowned. “Leo, what happened?” he asked quietly.

Leo’s mind raced with all sorts of unpleasant possibilities. Iowa wasn’t exactly known for being wholly accepting of the gay community. He’d seen that word on the news, following hateful religious groups, or heard it in the hallways haunting others who were out. There was a reason he kept it to himself, and now the shield of privacy had been violently wrenched away from him.

Jim finally shook his shoulder. “Hey, hey, what happened?” he whispered.

Leo surreptitiously glanced around. Not many people had shown up yet, so no one was in earshot. “Someone scratched a word into the paint on my locker,” he whispered. His throat tightened and his mouth was dry as parchment.

“What? What was it…?”

Leo swallowed, unable to form the word in his mouth. He’d never been such a blatant target of homophobia.

“Leo, please, what was it?”

He let out a quiet rasp he couldn’t even understand himself.

“What?”

“Fag,” he choked out.

Jim’s eyes widened in horror. “You’re kidding.” He planted a reassuring hand on Leo’s thigh. “It’ll be okay,” he whispered. “It’ll be okay, just try to stay calm.”

“Who could have…”

“I don’t know.”

Leo swallowed and took a shaky breath. “I’m scared, Jim.”

Jim’s hand rubbed up and down his thigh. “I know. Me too.”

 

* * *

 

Trying to keep his mind on school ended up being an exercise in futility. That hateful word – _fag_ – kept floating to the forefront of his mind, coming to a head during lunch while spending time with Jim.

“I’m probably gonna take physics – do med students need physics?”

_What if mama thinks about me like that? What if she uses that word?_

“Leo,” Jim sing-songed, waving a hand in front of his face. “Earth to Leo.”

Everyone near Leo’s locker had been whispering, likely gossiping about whether there was any truth behind the vandal’s message. What would people think of him now? What would people _do?_

“Leeeeeooooooo.”

The bullying would probably only worsen; he may have to actually use his new self-defense knowledge to—

“Leo!” Jim shook Leo’s shoulder, startling him from his ruminations. He looked in Jim’s concerned eyes. “Are you still thinking about the locker thing?”

Leo gave a tired sigh. “Yeah.”

“I know you’re freaked out, just… you can’t let it take over your every waking moment.”

“Jim, I – I just got outed to possibly the entire school.” Leo kept his voice low, wary of eavesdroppers. “I don’t know what to do. I’m gonna have to transfer and – what if they don’t take my credit? It’s the middle of the semester and – oh god, Jim, my life is over.”

Jim sighed and patted Leo’s shoulder. “Just because someone put it on your locker doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“But it is!” Leo hissed.

“No, it’s _not._ You are not a—” Jim paused and sighed, his eyes flitting over Leo’s face. “And that doesn’t mean people are gonna buy it.”

“Of course they will, someone will, someone always does.”

Jim gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Look… when I—” Jim bit his lip and glanced around. There were a lot of people, actually, busy eating or studying or what have you. “Can we go somewhere less… crowded?”

“Like where?”

“I dunno. How about the field?”

Leo nodded and they packed up their things. Once out on the field, Jim found a shady spot under some trees and plopped down onto the grass. Leo sat next to him and tore off his backpack, even the tiny bit of force a good vent for his frustration.

“Leo, I know right now you probably don’t think so, but—” Jim gave a tiny laugh and Leo glared at him. “Your life isn’t over from this, okay?”

“And how would you know? What if I have to leave the school? What if I have to leave _you?_ ”

“You’re not gonna have to leave me, or the school. Just… just—” Jim played with some of the grass between his legs. Leo’s mind was too busy racing with worst case scenarios to appraise Jim’s hesitation. “You have to promise me you won’t freak out about what I’m gonna tell you.”

“Now might not be the best time if you don’t want me freaking out.”

Jim continued, despite Leo’s objection. “I had a really… troubled childhood. Mom was never around and Frank was – Frank is an asshole. I didn’t see anything wrong with causing trouble, though it was always small stuff. For a while, anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was mostly petty stuff, vandalism. Egging houses, tagging, toilet paper in trees before it rained, you know.”

“Uh… no, I don’t know.”

“Well, one day it…”

Jim’s expression turned vacant, and Leo had to snap his fingers in front of him before he’d respond. “One day it…?”

Jim looked up from the grass, concern and hesitation evident in the crease of his eyebrows and his nervously flitting gaze. “One day I found a bunch of homeless kids living under one of the overpasses.”

Leo remained quiet for a moment. Jim’s story had so many gaps of silence Leo wasn’t sure when to actually cut in. “How – how many where there?”

“Five of ‘em. I couldn’t just – they were just kids, man.” Jim looked at him, eager for some sympathy. “Scared, lonely kids. Both of their parents had died, they were starving and I – I started stealing food for them.”

“You what? You… shoplifted?”

Jim didn’t answer him. “This went on for a while, though when it got colder I had to start stealing more.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I got caught.” Jim met his eyes again, only for Leo to see something like lament. “I got cocky, stole more than I could hide. I dropped a bag of biscuits.” Jim mirthlessly laughed.

“What… happened?”

“An employee cornered me and… I confessed everything. I got sentenced to juvie for six months. It was the worst day of my life.” Jim’s voice had tightened to a nervous croak.

Leo gaped at his best friend, who he’d thought stuck only to the straight and narrow.

“I thought my life was over, Leo.”

“But you’re still here.”

“Exactly.”

“I – oh.”

Jim rearranged himself to face Leo as he sat. “Look… I know what it feels like to think that your life is over. It wasn’t being outed, but it – I was imprisoned for half a year. I have to apply to have that removed from my court record, but I’m _fine._ I play rugby, I have good grades, I’m a model student for Christ’s sake. Whatever happens with this?” Jim gestured vaguely toward the Science wing nearby. “You can handle it. _We_ can handle it.”

“We?” Leo asked, low and hopeful.

“I’ll be right there with you.”

Leo didn’t say anything. What _could_ he say to that? The man sitting next to him had irrevocably wormed his way into his life, in all the best ways. It should terrify him how much he had grown to care for Jim in such a short period of time. Was three months really long enough for that sort of thing to happen?

“I promise,” Jim added while Leo looked at the ground in thought.

“I dunno what to say, Jim. Thank you? I – it doesn’t seem like enough.”

“But it _is_ enough.” The soft smile he gave Leo didn’t betray the sentiment.

Slowly Leo relaxed until the events from that morning were a niggling worry in the back of his mind. Jim, on the other hand, seemed restless and anxious, shifting and avoiding Leo’s gaze until he finally broke the silence.

“Do you think any less of me, knowing that I’ve been in juvie?” When Leo looked at Jim, he looked like a small and scared little boy – like when he told Leo his uncle beat him.

“What?” Leo asked in disbelief. “Why would – Jim, you stole food for _starving homeless orphans._ That’s so… _noble_ of you. I can’t think of a better reason to steal.”

The tension seemed to flood out of him, his shoulders falling and face relaxing. “Yeah, well… the judge disagreed.”

“You still committed a crime, but… it was for the right reason.”

Jim’s smile returned and he sheepishly ducked his head. “I – thank you Leo. That – that means a lot to hear from you.”

They sat together on the grassy knoll in quiet companionship for a few minutes. Leo’s heart swelled as he watched Jim relax again. He wondered how many people knew that Jim had been incarcerated. For six months… Jesus, Leo couldn’t even imagine being locked up for a week, and here his boyfriend had gone six months with nary a moment of freedom. Jim had turned his life around since then.

“Jim?”

Jim glanced up at him quizzically. “Yeah?”

“Do you know what happened to those kids after you got out?”

Jim paled a bit; he suddenly looked ten years older – and dead inside. “No.”

“I – oh.”

“I’d – I’d rather not… think about that.”

Leo felt like a complete ass. “I’m sorry…”

“You don’t have to apologize, I – you couldn’t have known. Come on, let’s go pick out classes.”

Leo gave a grateful smile as they clambered to their feet and headed back for the library.

 

* * *

 

Despite all his best efforts, Leo’s mind once again turned back toward his locker. When he went to swap books, it had been taped over until a custodian could exact a more permanent fix. It looked like a scar hastily covered up with concealer, but the pain and anxiety lingered behind.

In Morality, every whisper Leo heard filled his mind with awful ideas of the rumors that could be circulating. He could hardly focus on the lecture at all.

Their workout was nearly as bad. Jim had obviously noticed how distracted Leo was, but said nothing. He didn’t even speak up when Leo kept losing track of his reps, or the exercises he did, or even Leo couldn’t get a punch in edgewise while they sparred. It wasn’t until they were changing – more accurately, Jim was changing, Leo was ruminating on the bench – that he finally broke Leo’s stupor.

“Leo,” he sighed. “What can I do for you?”

“I dunno,” Leo answered, shrugging helplessly. “I just – I can’t control anything that happens now, and I hate it. I _hate it,_ Jim.”

“I know you do.” Jim surveyed their surroundings and found it wanting for privacy. “Come on, bring your clothes.”

“Huh?”

Jim dragged him off to a changing room and locked them both inside. He sat down on the small bench and held out his arms. “C’mere.”

Leo stepped forward and Jim wrapped his strong arms around him to divest him of his shirt. He drew Leo in to sit on his lap and pressed furry skin against furry skin. He melted into Jim’s touch and buried his face in the crook of his neck, the woody scent of him amplified by their workout until he was surrounded by Jim in nearly all his senses.

“It’ll be okay,” Jim whispered as he stroked up Leo’s back. “It’ll be okay.”

Leo sighed and trailed a hand down Jim’s spine.

“I know that, but… no, I don’t know. I can’t get it off my mind, it just – I don’t know.”

“Do you want me to – what do you need?”

Leo burrowed into his boyfriend’s neck and wrapped his arms tighter around his warm, muscled back. “Just… hold me for a bit.”

Jim hugged him for as long as Leo thought they could get away with it before someone suspected foul play in the dressing room. He wiled away the few minutes they had by petting Leo and pressing kisses to his shoulder and neck. “You’ll be okay, Leo. I’m here.”

It was all Jim could promise. Eventually they separated and finished changing, coming out of the room together only to get a weird look from an older gentleman.

“Keep walkin’, buddy,” Jim said, not even sparing him a glance.

 

* * *

 

After Leo’s shower, he strolled into the kitchen to look for a snack, only to see a strange girl he thought he recognized sitting at the kitchen table.

“Oh there you are,” Eleanora called out, walking in from the living room. “I’ve been wonderin’ where ya went off to.”

Leo’s confusion only deepened. “I… just got home from the gym, mama. I was showering.”

“Oh right, right. Well, your papa and I are goin’ out for a date night, so you two have fun while we’re gone, ya hear?”

Leo raised his eyebrows incredulously as Eleanora left and shut the front door behind her.

“Have fun?” He glanced at the girl – woman, rather, she was not at all a girl anymore. “Wait a – are you—”

“Jocelyn Darnell.”

“Yeah, you’re in—”

“Your history class.”

“What are you doin’ here?”

“This is gonna sound weird, but then again, it is weird, so whatever.” She flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder. “Your mom called my mom and told her you said you’re gay and wanted me to try to ‘change that,’” she said, pantomiming air quotes.

A hot curl of anger bloomed in Leo’s gut. “She _what?_ ”

“Hold on, I’m not done. My mom laughed at that and I was like, ‘but if he’s gay, what the hell am I gonna accomplish?’ So we laughed at that for a while and decided, ‘alright, we’ll humor her,’ cuz she promised pizza or something.” Now that she mentioned it, Leo noticed the smell wafting from a suspiciously pizza-shaped box sitting on the kitchen counter. “And I figured we could just watch a movie or talk about boys or something and the joke’s on your mom.”

“I – okay, I guess?”

Jocelyn put on a disappointed pout. “Come on, it’ll be fun – I hope. It’ll be funny, at least, seeing her face when she finds out what we _didn’t_ do.”

Leo shifted from foot to foot, glaring at nothing in particular. “Well I don’t think it’s very funny that she tried it in the first place,” he muttered.

“Hey, neither do I – I think it’s totally creepy how involved with your love life your mom is trying to be – but we can make the most of it.” She gestured over to the food waiting for them. “Pizza,” she whispered, trying to make it sound as tempting as possible.

Leo laughed and served them both a few slices, then led Jocelyn into the living room to start a movie. A few minutes into the drama that looked as boring as its summary suggested, Jocelyn spoke up.

“So, you’re fucking Kirk, right?”

Leo choked on some pepperoni, wheezing as he tried to pound it out of his windpipe.

“She said you were with him. You know half the school would give it up for him in a heartbeat, and I don’t mean just the girls.” Her voice had a particular lilt to it that made it sound like the words themselves danced out of her mouth with a swagger.

“I—” Leo’s face burned with embarrassment. “We h—we aren’t – we… haven’t… done that.”

“Really? Then what’s that,” she pointed to his neck, “all over you?”

Leo spluttered, making some grease dribble down his chin. He tried to cover his neck with a palm before reaching for a napkin to pat the grease away. “Why I – that’s none of your business!” he hissed.

“If it were none of my business you would have hid it,” she sing-songed, taking a few more bites of pizza. “You know I can give you some advice if you wanted, you know, how to get in his pants faster.”

“N—no thank you, we’re doin’ just fine at our own pace.”

“You mean… it’s not just a fling?”

“What? No. I hope not, or the last four dates we’ve been on are a bit awkward to explain.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” She turned a strange red color. “I didn’t – I’m sorry, I should have been more sensitive about it.”

“No it – it’s okay.”

“Not really. Just, word around school is he’s not the commitment type and…”

Jocelyn turned to her pizza and pretended to watch the movie, an awkward silence falling between them. Leo squirmed in his seat, already uncomfortable with his mother’s attempts at swinging him over to the ‘other side.’

“What’s a pretty girl like you doin’ with me anyway? I’m sure you have a line of boys lookin’ to court you.”

“Court me?” She chuckled. “That’s so southern it _hurts._ And no, I’ve got my eyes on one boy in particular.”

“Oh?”

“You know Clay Treadway?”

“Never heard of him.”

“He’s a senior – god he’s hot and funny and sweet, I could just—” her eyes widened in surprise at her own indiscretion. “Sorry, got a little carried away there.” She reached for another slice. “Anyway, he doesn’t know I exist, so for now, I’m not seeing anyone.”

Someone as beautiful as Jocelyn surely could win over someone like Clay with little effort whatsoever. If Leo weren’t gay, he—actually she didn’t really seem like his type.

“Jus’ do what Jim did with me – offer to help work up a sweat in the gym until his heart starts fluttering every time he looks at you.”

“Is _that_ what he did?” Jocelyn gave a hearty laugh. “Wow. What on earth did you do to get his attention?”

“I have no idea.”

“Then again, you’re starting to turn heads too. Whatever you’re doing at the gym, it’s working.”

“Wha… really?” Jocelyn gave him a pointed look, and he scoffed. “You’re bullshitting me.”

“I _so_ am not. You’d be the envy of over half the student body _and_ several teachers if people knew you were with Kirk.”

“Probably better that they don’t in that case.” Leo shook his head and shuddered at the thought of being in the public eye so much more than he already was. “So what’s Clay’s excuse for being oblivious?”

“Huh? Oh. I dunno. I mean, I share three classes with him. How does he not know?”

“Have you… talked to him? Asked him out?”

“No,” Jocelyn answered after a moment, her brow furrowing in realization.

“Well, maybe start with that?”

“But how do I do that? I mean, how did Kirk ask you out?”

“Uh… weeks of not-so-subtle flirting and increasingly revealing feats of manliness.” He wasn’t about to reveal how Jim _actually_ asked him out. “You aren’t gonna… tell anyone we’re seeing each other, are you?”

“What? No! Hell no, that is your business and your business alone. I’d be pissed at your mom if I were you for blabbing to my mom.”

Leo let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, uh… thank you.”

Jocelyn scoffed and gave a little wave at him. “Don’t mention it, it’s the least I could do. I already had this discussion with my mom – she’s not allowed to say a word to anyone about either of you.”

“Back to Clay. What about… uh… passing a note?”

Jocelyn laughed sardonically, her nose scrunching a bit. “Really, Leonard? I’m seventeen, not ten.”

“Uh… how about…”

 

* * *

 

Talking with Jocelyn had been both fun and interesting, though it eventually devolved into giddy discussions of Leo’s boyfriend and Jocelyn’s would-be boyfriend. After the movie finished – despite neither of them paying attention to it since finishing their pizza – Jocelyn returned home and Leo retreated to his room to work on homework before his piano teacher arrived.

After his lesson and even more homework, he slunk off to the bathroom and after a quick five-plus-one session to unwind in the shower – to thoughts of Jim licking up his cum and their hands around each other’s cocks – he inspected himself in the mirror.

_‘Then again, you’re starting to turn heads too. Whatever you’re doing at the gym, it’s working.’_

Jim had absolutely been right about pretty much every feature of Leo’s body. His belly looked smoother, tauter, and his pecs were coming along quite nicely, now visible rather than flat – and the new hair growing in was certainly a nice boost to his self-esteem. His arms when flexed were shapely and bulged in a way he’d not seen them do ever before in his life. He would swear up and down that his shoulders looked broader. Although inspecting his butt in the mirror just made him think of Jim massaging it – giving him a stiffy in the process – he definitely noticed it was firmer, bulkier, and that his legs were less flab, more lean muscle these days.

_‘You are so beautiful, Leo.’_

Feeling better than ever about his body, Leo retired to bed, a happy grin on his face as he hugged a pillow, pretending it was Jim.

 

* * *

 

The next day at school was nowhere near as agonizing as the one prior. Instead, Leo sauntered around campus, his head held a little higher, his back held a little straighter. He noticed more glances at him, actually paying him some mind, but he wasn’t concerned with whether it was furtive whispers of his rumors, or talk of his newly built muscle. Jim even noticed his new demeanor and commented on it.

“What’s got you in such a good mood today?”

“I can’t be in a good mood?” Leo asked, raising an eyebrow at his boyfriend sitting across from him at lunch.

“It’s not that,” Jim said. “Yesterday you… worried me. Today you’re just… holding yourself differently, I guess.” Jim took a bite of his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. “Like, you look taller, I dunno.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Did something happen? Cuz I like it,” he answered, looking at Leo as if he weren’t wearing any clothing at all.

“No, I just… I dunno.”

“Come on!” Jim lightly slapped his bicep with the back of his hand. “What happened?”

“Well, I had a surprise guest yesterday.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, Jocelyn Darnell from my history class.”

“You had a girl over?” Jim asked, eyes widening before he could school his features.

“Oh not like _that._ Mama did it to try to ‘make me straight.’”

Jim’s nose scrunched in disgust.

“I know, right?

“I can’t believe she’d do that.” Jim’s tone dripped with disdain. “You should tell your dad.”

“I don’ wanna start drama. Besides, all we did was talk boys and eat pizza.”

“Boys? You mean l—”

“ _Anyway,_ she told me I’ve been getting attention for all the work on my body I’ve been doing.”

“Really?” Jim asked, sounding unconvincing as he chewed his meal.

Leo’s jaw dropped in shock. “You knew?”

Jim nearly choked on a potato chip. “No I just – I didn’t—”

“Oh come on, Jim, I know that look.”

“Okay, fine. Some of my other friends have been telling me about it.”

“And you kept it from me?”

“What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey Leo, you know there’s some girls on campus who wanna hop on your dick now.’ No, I’m not gonna do that,” he trailed off, looking down at his sandwich as if it had personally offended him.

Leo sighed. “What is it?”

“Nothing! I just—”

“I know that look too. What is – wait… are you – you’re jealous! Aren’t you?”

Jim shot him a glare and blushed. “No!” Leo gave him a self-satisfied grin and Jim avoided his gaze. “I’m not jealous…” he mumbled. “I just… don’t like hearing people talk about you like you’re just a good fuck.”

“It’s not like I’m gonna go running off for the first girl that shows interest in me.” Jim still wouldn’t look up from his sandwich, instead opting to rearrange his chips. “Come on, I only have eyes for you.”

Jim finally looked up to meet his eyes and gave a small smile. “Really?”

“Yeah. I mean… I was crushing on you for at least a month before you actually asked me out.”

That earned a chuckle from his friend. “Remember how nervous you were on our first date?”

“No,” Leo said pointedly. “Let’s not talk about that.”

“It was _so_ adorable how you—”

“Stop.”

“—kept stuttering and you—”

“ _Stop._ ”

“—okay, okay.” Jim’s grin never left him, though. When Leo polished off his salad, he glanced up at his boyfriend again. It was more than a little flattering that Jim was jealous of the talk of Leo’s bodybuilding, and certainly just as flattering that talk was happening in the first place.

“Still jealous?”

“Not really. Maybe a little, but not in like, a bad way.”

“Not in a bad way?”

“Yeah. Just means I’m gonna be trying to make you cum even harder than before.”

Leo’s cock started to harden at the thought of Jim’s hand wrapped around him again and his cheeks pinked.

“Come on, we have calculus work to do,” Jim said as he patted Leo’s shoulder and went to recycle his plate.

 

* * *

 

“So, Physics.” They were once again in his room, this time browsing the class schedule. “Do you need physics?”

“I’m pretty sure I do?” Leo said, tone lilting upward as he was entirely unsure.

“Wanna take AP physics together?”

“Yeah,” Leo said, just as he started penning it into fourth period. Jim leaned over to see where he’d put it and filled it in as well. “I still need a P.E. credit or two.”

“Avoided it as much as you could?”

“Ever since freshman year when they decided to start calling me ‘bones.’”

Jim scowled – Leo had already told him the story of how he grew to be called ‘bones’. A rather cruel student who no longer actually went to their school had pointed out to the rest of the boys in the locker room that Leo looked like nothing but skin and bones. Leo was already disliked enough that they latched on to the name and not let go. The legacy lived on to this day.

“Well, there’s weightlifting.”

“Don’t we already do that outside of class enough?”

“I guess. Yoga?”

“Maybe.”

“Performance dance.”

“No.”

Jim squinted at the registry book. “What’s this… Senior Casual Sports? ‘This course offers seniors the opportunity to partake in lifetime activities at local, off-campus recreational centers. These activities include archery, billiards, curling, bowling, skating, racquetball, golf, and swimming. Swimming is optional.’”

Leo scratched his bearded jaw – it really did fill in nicely. “That sounds fun. What else?”

“’Assignments include class participation, knowledge of rules and components of fitness,’ whatever that means, ‘and formal assessments.’”

“Do we jus’… bus there?”

“’Students are responsible for their own transportation or can carpool to activities.’”

“That sounds fun, let’s do that.”

They registered for Senior casual sports and continued filling out the page. Unfortunately, aside from that and Calculus, their interests or needs didn’t align for any other classes.

 

* * *

 

Easily the most entertaining part of rugby games was watching his best friend gallivant around the field. Watching him in motion and at work on the grass was mesmerizing. He moved with a grace that could only come from years of playing, he spoke to the referees with a commanding authority that put him on an equal level with them, and the team respected his leadership and guidance.

The uniform was really hot too.

By endgame, Leo had taken over fifty pictures – at least thirty of which were of his boyfriend – which Chris requested he send to the website coordinator, not that he’d be getting any of the ‘personal’ pictures.

Leo even cheered for the team, and he normally kept to his business as coach’s assistant. The final score was twenty to fourteen; their team scored a penalty, a drop goal, and two tries – one of which was Jim’s. That score had him roaring and prancing around the field in a ludicrous victory dance (let it be known from that point forward that Jim Kirk cannot dance). He also scored the drop goal – which Jim had previously told him were rather difficult to accomplish and players rarely pulled one off.

After the game, he practically vibrated with excited energy, constantly tapping his foot on the floor of the bus.

“I’m coming home with you,” he whispered.

Leo raised his eyebrows. Jim stared back at him with a barely contained tension. “Any reason why?”

Jim just shook his head and bit his lip. “I’m so hard right now, that game was intense.”

Leo’s eyes widened and he glanced down to Jim’s crotch, where indeed his cock threatened to poke a hole through his pants. Jim hunched over so only Leo could see it, his arm resting on his leg serving as a visual barricade.

“Oh.”

Jim held true to his word when they arrived at school, driving straight for Leo’s house and arriving sooner than he did. He practically bounced on the balls of his feet as Leo approached him on the porch.

“C’mon, c’mon,” he whined, looking about ready to jump out of his skin. As soon as Leo unlocked the door and shut it behind them, Jim cupped Leo’s jaw and furiously kissed him. He nibbled on Leo’s lips and his breath came in heavy pants as he passionately kissed until he was dizzy from lack of air.

Leo pulled away and gasped. “Jesus Christ, Jim, a guy needs to breathe.”

“Your room, please.”

Leo pushed Jim back to his room, guiding him through the house as they kissed. Once actually in his room, Jim locked the door behind them while Leo darted for the bathroom to get the hand lotion.

Jim pulled him over to the bed, still kissing him as he started pulling Leo’s shirt off.

“God I’ve been thinking about doing this since the bus ride back,” Jim huffed. Once they were totally naked, Leo pushed Jim back onto the bed and plastered himself against his boyfriend, feeling their cocks pressed together. Every inch of contact with sweaty hair and hot skin only served to heighten his arousal as they kissed, sloppy and hungry.

Leo hadn’t noticed Jim roll them over; he was on top, now. Jim drew away to look down at him, then pressed fervent kisses to Leo’s lips, licking into his mouth before grabbing the lotion from the side of the bed. Once he had a smear on his fingers, he wrapped his hand around Leo’s cock, spreading it with a few careful twists. Everything other than his boyfriend’s lips, the hand over his heart, and the slip of fingers around his dick faded away.

Despite Jim’s earlier eagerness, once he actually had a hold of Leo he gently stroked and thoughtfully teased every one of Leo’s favorite spots. Jim kept kissing him as he played with Leo’s cock, bringing him closer and closer to the precipice of release. The pleasure pooled low in his gut and he gasped when Jim drew his hand away from thumbing his chest to twist his dick. The warm slick of fingers surrounding his cock made him moan into Jim’s mouth as their tongues tangled until Leo shot a thick load on his belly, striping his chest with cum as his cock throbbed in Jim’s fist. He gasped as Jim stroked him through the remaining waves, dick still leaking jizz.

“Wow,” Leo croaked when Jim parted from him. His stomach was a complete mess, coated in long ropes of semen. Jim was sweating anew. Leo’s mind was still blank from the overwhelming pleasure of the hand job. A glance down to his boyfriend’s crotch, however, gave him the sight of his thick cock begging for attention.

Once he caught his breath, Leo took the lotion bottle in hand. “Sit back,” and Jim obeyed, legs stretched out and weight on his arms behind him. Leo squirted some lotion right on Jim’s cock, making a leg twitch from the cold. He took his gorgeous cock between his fingers and coated it before starting a slow pace.

“God, Leo,” Jim whispered.

Leo ran his hand over Jim’s tummy, fingers dipping into his six pack as Jim’s breath moved his palm. He stroked Jim just enough to make him bite his lip and his toes curl. Delightfully, he seemed to be getting better at drawing it out and making Jim writhe under him, and he took a great deal of pleasure in doing so. The languid twists and strokes made Jim huff out noisy breaths as he stared down at Leo working his dick. Leo let go and played with his balls. He leaned in to gently kiss Jim, cupping the back of his head. Their kisses were softer, more tender, but when he drew away, he looked Jim right in the eye and murmured, “Cum for me.”

He quickened his pace, keeping his touch gentle until Jim bit his lip to stop from crying out. When his cock pulsed between Leo’s fingers, he aimed so Jim spilled his load in hot spurts all over his belly fur. When Jim caught his breath – and began smearing cum all over himself – he laughed and the blush that crept to his cheeks was amazingly red. “That was really intense.”

Leo could only smile back at him and chuckle sheepishly. “Now I need a shower.”

“I need one _again,_ ” Jim replied.

Leo brought Jim in for a kiss and sat on his lap, running his hands over his lover’s hairy chest. Jim wrapped around him and traded kisses until he drew away to breathe in the smell of Leo at the junction of his shoulder and neck.

“Let’s take a shower,” he murmured into Leo’s skin.

Actually getting to the bathroom took longer than expected. Neither wanted to let go of each other, either kissing as they walked – more like stumbled – to the bathroom, or petting and carding through hair. Jim met his eyes and the affection he saw in them took his breath away.

“Leo,” he sighed before diving in for a soft kiss. The shower forgotten, Leo let himself be swept into the kiss, Jim cupping the back of his head and holding him gently. His tongue sought entry and Jim moaned into his mouth when their tongues tangled. He felt weak in the knees, overwhelmed by how tender it was. When they parted, Leo burrowed into Jim’s neck, nuzzling into his boyfriend as he wrapped around him. Jim held him for a few moments, taking a quiet moment when they had one, brushing his hands down Leo’s back or kissing his forehead.

“Let’s move to the shower,” he murmured softly, and with a laugh he added, “for real now.”

Leo reluctantly parted from him and entered the bathroom where he started preparing the water. Jim came up behind him to wrap around him and rub his belly, smearing cum everywhere. Curiously he didn’t find it ‘gross’ as he had the first time; now it just felt like another gesture of affection. When the water was ready, Leo stepped over the rim of the tub and Jim followed.

With the curtain pulled behind them, Leo pulled the actuator and the spray of water cascaded down over them. Jim pulled him into a hug again, leaning his head against Leo’s as he slowly palmed his back. Once they were nice and wet, Jim reached for Leo’s shower gel and lathered some up. With a light touch he washed off the cum from Leo’s tummy, suds cleansing away the stick.

When it was Leo’s turn, he let his back face the water as he brought his arms around Jim from behind to cleanse him and embrace him at once. Jim’s hands entwined with his own, gently holding hands as Leo scrubbed his abs clean. While he worked, his cock hardened and pressed against Jim’s butt. Jim wriggled back against Leo, the friction of firm muscle against his dick making him harder. When he finished, his hands trailed lower and wrapped around Jim’s dick, languidly pulling on it to bring it to stiffness. Jim hissed with pleasure and Leo hooked his chin over the other man’s shoulder to get a better view.

The shower gel did a good enough job of lubing Jim up, but Leo kept his touch gentle. Jim had his head bowed to watch Leo’s hand work his cock, twisting and stroking.

The new angle was certainly a curious one – he worked Jim’s manhood like he would his own, trailing fingers over him and lightly touching the head. He pulled his fingers along the length to lightly grip his cock head, drawing them back down so his palm brushed over the head of Jim’s penis. Jim twitched between his arms from the overwhelming sensation of his cock being stroked in so many ways at once.

“Jesus… Leo,” he hissed.

Leo’s other hand trailed down Jim’s body, playing with the muscle and wet fur as Jim’s belly heaved. Jim’s fingers entwined with his again, following Leo’s movements. up and down his torso.

It wasn’t very long at all until Jim throbbed between his fingers. Leo looked down to watch him shoot big ropes of cum all over the tile wall. He went nearly boneless between Leo’s arms and he had to use his newly developed strength to support his boyfriend until he recovered. Jim turned around in his arms and brought him in for a soft kiss. “My turn?”

Jim bodily spun Leo around and pulled him tight against his crotch so he could run his hands up and down Leo’s belly. Jim’s lips were a constant presence against his neck, his tongue licking or sucking hickeys into the skin as his fingers roamed up and down Leo’s flat tummy. When he finally lathered up some shower gel, Leo watched Jim’s hands slick up his cock.

It was even more curious watching the hands of someone he couldn’t see work his dick, like they were disembodied even though he felt every inch of Jim’s muscular body pressing against his back. While the one hand worked his cock, the other gently held Leo, keeping him pressed up against fur and warm muscle. He felt surrounded by warmth, surrounded by someone he cared for, someone he deeply trusted.

When his breath came in gasps, Jim nibbled on his ear and whispered to him. “Come on, Leo, paint the wall with cum.” The sultry whisper of his boyfriend sent him over the edge, and Leo nearly whited out from the force of his orgasm. Pleasure wracked through his body as he did just what Jim asked him to do, shooting jets of jizz to splatter and mingle with Jim’s load on the blue tile. Strong arms kept him standing while he recovered.

Jim spun him around again to trade kisses and Leo gave a little jump when Jim’s hands kneaded his butt. His fingers crept between the cheeks, water sluicing between them, but Jim never got any closer to the ring of muscle that made him a bit skittish. Leo wandered down toward his boyfriend’s ass as well, drawing a finger along the crack at the base of his spine, making Jim jump and chuckle.

“Ah, that’ tickles!”

“That _tickles?_ ” Leo asked, raising his eyebrows. He laughed too and Jim lightly shoved him away.

“Shut up! Maybe tickle is the wrong word.”

“Whatever,” Leo said with a smile.

Once they rinsed their loads off the wall, Leo shut off the water and toweled them both off. Jim saw the fluffy bathrobe hanging from the wall and his eyes widened mischievously.

“What? That?”

Jim said nothing, just slipped the bathrobe over his arms, then opened it up to wrap Leo within, trapping him inside.

“What are you doing, you dork?” Leo chuckled as Jim started laughing and picked him up. He carried Leo back in the bedroom as Leo pounded his back with calls of “put me down you oaf!” Jim just sat down on the bed and lay himself back, taking Leo with him. He squirmed in Jim’s grasp until he was shushed with a kiss.

“I just wanna hold you for a while.”

Leo sighed and snuggled into his boyfriend’s chest – when Jim wanted to cuddle, Jim got what he wanted, not that Leo ever really complained. They lay there for a few minutes, breathing in each other.

“Hey,” Jim murmured. “You haven’t shown me any pictures from the games yet.”

Leo heaved himself off Jim to paw for his pants over the edge of the bed. When he retrieved his phone, he lay back down on Jim’s chest and navigated to the photo library. Leo showed Jim – both looking to the side to see the phone – all the photos he took of the game, most of them of Jim.

“Wow, these are all so good!”

Leo scoffed. “Not really, I mean, a lot of them are blurry.”

“I can barely even tell on such a small screen. You could be a photographer.”

Jim took the phone from him and held it above Leo’s head so he couldn’t see what he was doing. He toyed with it for a moment, before handing it back to Leo.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

It was still in the camera app – he couldn’t have done that much. When he exited, however, his home screen greeted him, now sporting a close-up of Jim’s sweaty abs as the wallpaper.

“Do you like what I’ve done with the place?”

Leo pushed himself off Jim and playfully smacked him in the shoulder. “Infant, I’m dating an infant.”

Jim cackled with glee and pounced on Leo, burying his face in his soft chest hair. He sighed as he nuzzled into the fur, but groaned after a moment.

“What’s up?”

“I hate homework.”

“Who doesn’t?”

“But homework means I can’t do this anymore.” Jim pressed a gentle kiss to the middle of Leo’s chest and tightened his hold.

“Well… the sooner we finish, the sooner we can do this again.”

Another kiss. “I hate when you’re right.”


	19. Chapter 19

From: Jim  
_I FORGOT TO ASK YOU EARLIER THere’s a music festival tonight downtown, do you wanna go?_

The text came during English. It was a tough call to make: with practice and a workout after school, Leo would have very little time to actually do homework, but…

He could stay up late tonight to make up for it.

To: Jim  
_Yeah, sounds fun!_

 

* * *

 

When Jim showed up after their workout he was bouncing on his heels. “You got money?”

“Yeah.”

“Layers?”

“Do you?”

“Good!”

Jim jogged back to his car, leaving Leo on the porch. “Do you?!” Leo called out.

Getting into the fairgrounds was a bit of a mess. People swarmed the twilit parking lot and even after finding a spot, everyone clambered to get in. All Leo could hear was a constant din of chattering people and the occasional shrieking child.

“I wish I had bought tickets in advance, but I totally forgot to ask if you wanted to go.”

“That’s okay. When do the bands start?”

“About twenty minutes,” Jim reported after checking his phone. The enormous, disorderly throng of people made buying tickets cumbersome.

“Can’t people make a line? Jesus.”

“It’s almost like everyone’s excited.”

“I’m gettin’ mighty hungry, you said there’d be food?”

Jim shook his head and bit back a grin – probably from Leo’s accent. “There’s _some_ food stands, but I don’t actually know what they have.”

At last, they reached the ticket booth and forked over enough cash for two.

“Hey, there’s the food!” Jim said, pointing toward a thoroughfare. Burgers, pizza, hot dogs; typical fair food, really. Leo decided on a few slices of greasy pizza, while Jim braved a hot dog.

“This pizza is way too greasy,” Leo grumbled. He patted oil off the pepperoni as best he could with a napkin, eventually giving up and taking a bite. The crust was a strange consistency and the cheese was not only pale, but nearly flavorless. “What the hell,” he mumbled around a mouthful of food. “This cheese tastes like water.”

“This meat isn’t very good. It’s a little… gritty.” Jim waggled his eyebrows and in a hushed tone said, “Your meat is way better.”

Leo shot a glare at Jim, who snorted and nearly choked on his food when Leo playfully punched him in the shoulder. When he took another bite, the pepperoni was just as gritty as it looked. “Blech. The pepperoni has a weird texture to it.”

“The only reason I can eat this is because I drenched it in ketchup.”

“I can’t eat anymore,” Leo said before unceremoniously tossing his leftover pizza into the closest trash can.

“Neither can I… I really hate to waste good food, but… this _isn’t_ good food.” Jim looked down at the sorry excuse for a meal he’d purchased and sighed. “It’s really a shame.”

He dumped the hot dog in the trash and they wandered around for a bit more, looking for an alternative to their unsatisfying dinners until Leo heard the unmistakable sound of instruments being tuned.

“Ooh, the first band is starting!”

“Hello ladies and gents,” the lead singer said into the microphone. He had a nice voice – not like Jim’s soprano, but nice nonetheless. “We are _The Windows_ here to play a few tunes for you.”

Jim glanced at Leo. “ _The Windows_? Like... _The Doors_?”

“What?”

“They were a rock group in the 60’s with an equally silly name.”

“Oh. I guess?”

They made their way toward the center of the fairgrounds where a large stage was set up. The group assembling to play had an assortment of instruments: guitars, drums, bass – it looked like a rock group.

The singer went on for a few minutes, talking more about the band. They’re from Milwaukee, they play classic rock, other details Leo didn’t care to take in. When they finally started, however, he couldn’t help but appreciate their sound.

“Dude, they have the eighties bit down perfect!” Jim exclaimed over the loud music. Some of the audience standing in the middle of the fairgrounds started dancing. “Hey, let’s join them!”

“Let’s not and say we did!”

“Oh come on! Let’s have some fun!”

“I don’t know how to dance!”

“Neither do I!” Jim gripped his bicep and tried pulling him into the throng of dancers. “What’s there to lose?”

“My dignity!”

Jim let go and started swaying to the music. “You will never see any of these people again!”

“Liar!”

Jim crowded into him and lowered his voice. “Look at how bad everyone else’s dancing already is.”

Leo glanced around only to see dancing even more terrible than Leo could have predicted; One person was doing _the robot_ for Christ’s sake. To _rock music._ There was no way Leo’s was worse. “Well, okay.”

Feeling his face burn with embarrassment, Leo let Jim guide him around the ad hoc dance floor. He bobbed his head and shifted his weight from foot to foot, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Jim at the very least danced just as badly; he swung his arms around looking very much like an ape might, enthusiastically head bobbing to the drumbeat. He shot Leo a dopey grin and Leo couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Let it be known that _neither_ of them could dance.

When the next song came up, the dancing shifted to something more excited thanks to the accelerated tempo. Jim’s dancing remained just as ludicrous, just faster. Leo abandoned any pretense of holding onto whatever decorum he exhibited and joined his boyfriend in hopping around. On the rugby field, Jim was all fluid motion and perfect control; on the dance floor he was endearingly clumsy. He had a goofy grin plastered to his face throughout every song the rock group played. Leo couldn’t help but smile right back even though they bumped into each other or stepped on each other’s toes more often than they could match their dancing pace.

By the time the group said their goodbyes and thanked the crowd, Leo had worked up a good sweat and had to remove his jacket. Jim huffed out breaths that hung in the cold air.

“Wow, I didn’t know you could dance like that.”

Jim furrowed his brow at him. “Like what?”

“Like a newborn calf trying to take its first steps.”

Jim broke into a noisy cackle and pushed Leo away. “You jerk! Hey, come back here.” His hands groped for Leo’s biceps to pull him in for a quick press of lips, only to smile sweetly when they parted.

Leo gave him a toothy grin and Jim’s eyes lit up with joy.

“Let’s go find a seat, I’m tired after all the crap we did today.”

The two found a table on the edge of the stage area while the prior band removed their gear. A few sound technicians started setting up different equipment while the next group came on stage. One of the group members took out a saxophone; another was setting up an electric piano.

“Oh, it’s a quartet.”

The last two members set up a double bass and a drum kit. Once the sound check passed, they introduced themselves. One by one the group members gave the audience a short spiel about their music experience before returning the mic to the saxophone lead. The lead then explained that they’d be playing some free form jazz for everyone.

“What’s free form jazz?”

“I… dunno. I guess we’ll find out?” Leo shrugged.

The first piece, once they started, was slow and moody. It seemed like regular jazz to Leo – whatever regular jazz was.

“Pretty chill,” Jim murmured.

“Seems fairly run-of-the-mill to me,” Leo responded.

It did, at least, until the pianist started playing something that violated the established chords. It sounded almost chaotic, how her fingers practically danced – or tripped – across the keyboard. Eventually it lacked any structure whatsoever, at one moment sounding like glass shattering on the floor, another like she was pressing random keys.

“How is she doing that?” Leo murmured.

“Fuck if I know, man.”

The saxophonist jumped in, switching from moody melody to an almost disturbing cacophony of otherworldly noises.

“What on earth is she doing?”

“I want to find out,” Leo said.

The tone fluttered upward like a butterfly reaching skyward might, and Leo finally noticed that the bassist wasn’t holding to any particular pattern either.

“This is weird.”

“I dunno, I kinda like it.”

Leo gaped at Jim in disbelief. “You actually _like_ it?”

“Hey, you’ve only heard _one_ song.”

“It’s not a song, it’s chaos. You don’t call that music.”

“Why not?”

“I – I dunno.”

The song ended as it had begun: slow and dark. When the sound died away, the audience clapped and the quartet each bowed. “Thank you, thank you. We’ll be playing something a bit more upbeat in just a moment.”

With the discord finally quiet, Leo actually took a moment to observe the group. Unlike the previous group, the stage was fairly bare bones. The only equipment with them was their own instruments and the microphone stands.

“They don’t have any sheet music.”

Jim turned to face him. “Sorry?”

“Look, there’s no music stands. The rock group used sheet music.”

Jim glanced up at the stage and moved around to get a different view. “You’re right, were they playing from memory or—”

“Just playing whatever?”

“Wow.”

The group started their next piece, and as promised it was much more upbeat. Like the previous song, it eventually devolved into a polyphonous mess. The bassist got a big part, somehow making screeching noises with the strings at one point and plucking them as if he were readying an arrow to fire.

“Do you think he goes through many strings?”

Leo nodded wordlessly, totally enthralled by the controlled chaos.

“I’m gonna buy their CD, I think they had some merch somewhere.”

“Yeah… do that, would you?”

When the group finished their second song and moved onto the third, it was an interesting mix between the two styles. It was faster than the first and a bit more upbeat but not so much. Some of the audience was slow dancing.

“Leo, dance with me?”

Leo looked between the audience in the dim light and Jim holding his hand out, smiling gently for him.

“What if someone sees us?”

“Of course they’ll see us, but nobody’s gonna care.”

“What if someone says something about it…?”

“Fuck ‘em.”

Well, Jim hadn’t been teaching him self-defense for nothing. He grasped Jim’s hand in his and let himself be pulled to the dance floor. Jim took his hips in hand and Leo hooked his arms around Jim’s neck. The quartet’s third song was nowhere near as chaotic as the former two, instead keeping to a more “traditional” jazz genre, making it easy for them to sway together along with the beat.

“This is really nice,” Leo murmured. Jim looked into his eyes and though Leo couldn’t see very well in the dim light, he swore they twinkled like stars. “What do you think of them?”

“The jazz group?”

“Yeah.”

Jim thought for a moment. The saxophone picked up into an animated solo. “I think I might have a thing for freeform jazz now.”

The song sounded like it belonged in a spy movie, though not the sort filled with explosions – the sort with actual espionage and political intrigue. The pianist had changed her keyboard to sound like chimes, and the bassist kept up a relentless strum of mysterious plucks that kept Leo guessing where the song would go next.

“What are you doin’ after this?”

“Probably homework.”

“Yeah… me too.”

“Why?”

“Just seeing if you’d be up for a little more personal time with your favorite guy.”

Leo flicked the back of Jim’s head and gave a light chuckle. “Jesus, you have the sex drive of a rabbit.”

“You do too,” he laughed.

“That is beside the point,” Leo drawled. God, his smile was so beautiful. “I’m gonna have to pull an all-nighter to get my homework done now.”

“Me too.”

“Was worth it, though.”

Jim pulled him into a hug as they swayed, resting his head against Leo’s shoulder. “It was.” Leo held him a little tighter when Jim pressed a kiss to his neck. The low light and the loping beat of the music on top of the tender touch of his best friend lulled him into a content daze. When the song ended and they parted, Leo leaned in for a sweet press of lips.

“Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course. Thank you for coming.”

The jazz quartet said their farewells and Jim went off to look for their merchandise stand, leaving Leo to hold their seats. He checked the time on his phone – somehow it was already eight.

Jim didn’t return until after the third group finished setting up. He had a small bag for his purchase, apparently with at least a CD of the jazz quartet’s music.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted one, but we can just share it, right?”

“Fine by me.”

“I did, however… get you this!” He pulled out a black shirt with the group’s logo on the front, a highly stylized font and dusk city backdrop.

“Oh wow, that’s a cool shirt. Jim, you shouldn’t have.” The shirt was soft, luxurious cotton, the very high quality sort that was the right amount of stretchy.

“You should put it on right now!” Jim gave an over-obvious wink, and Leo rolled his eyes.

“I’m not takin’ off my shirt here.”

“Of course not. I’m the only one allowed to see that.”

“That you are, but that’s—” The waggle of Jim’s eyebrows and the wide smile he gave him shut down that objection. “—yeah sure, that’s why.”

“Damn right.” A smug grin spread over Jim’s face, though when Leo’s brow furrowed it fell away. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s too big.”

“Well, duh, it won’t fit you in a year if I bought your current size.”

Jim sure had a lot of faith in Leo’s ability to build muscle. But then again… he hadn’t really been wrong thus far.

The singer of the group on stage introduced himself and the band members. This group would be playing ‘prog metal’ for them.

“What’s ‘prog metal’?”

“Progressive metal. It’s like – it’s like what you get when you take heavy metal and progressive rock and shove them together. “

Once the group actually began playing, it was more obvious what Jim was actually referring to. The beat of the music had a peculiar off-kilter sense to it, and the distorter they used gave it an otherworldly feeling.

“Wow.”

Something about the music brought about a strange, primal unease in Leo. Throughout their first piece he felt constantly on edge.

“This song is giving me chills,” Jim murmured from his side. When the song finished with a curious open-ended fade-out, the audience clapped loudly. When the noise died away, Jim tapped on Leo’s shoulder.

“Want a funnel cake or something?” Leo shrugged. “I’ll be right back with one,” and Jim left for the thoroughfare.

The next song was, unfortunately, just a different song. They weren’t particularly bringing anything different to the table with this one. The same sort of distorted, disappointingly samey melody, almost identical chords – the singing was even on the same basic topic.

Once it ended, Jim came back with the funnel cake on a plate. “Would you be against eating it in the car or something on the way back?”

Jim glanced up with a slight frown. “Something wrong?”

“No, I just…” Leo felt a bit guilty for wanting to leave before the final group concluded their performance. “I’m not really into the prog metal, and traffic is gonna be awful if we don’t leave, pronto.”

Jim scratched his scruff in thought. “I don’t see why not.” A coy grin spread across his face. “You gonna feed it to me?”

Leo looked around embarrassedly before meeting Jim’s eyes again. “If you want?”

“Okay,” Jim chuckled.

While the band played their third song – which sadly sounded the same as the first two – Jim and Leo weaved their way out of the fairgrounds back to Jim’s car. On the way home, Leo took a bite of the cake, then gave Jim a bite, alternating between them.

“So what’d you think?”

Leo nodded – mostly to himself – and swallowed his cake. “Pretty cool. Which group did you like the best?”

“The rock group.” Jim paused while Leo fed him a piece of crispy funnel cake.

“I liked the jazz quartet the most.”

“Yeah, but the rock group got you to dance with me.”

“But the jazz group did too!”

“But now I get to think about you dancing every time I wanna laugh.”

Leo scowled and poked Jim’s shoulder with the plastic fork. “Brat.”

“Oh come on, you got to see me make a fool of myself.”

“I suppose I did.”

A few minutes of silence passed, punctuated by Leo feeding Jim some cake.

“I got to dance with you,” Leo murmured, reaching over the center console to thread his fingers with Jim’s. “Will you stay the night?”

“I thought you had homework to do.”

“Fuck it, we got too much, let’s work on it together,” Leo drawled.

“There won’t be much workin’ if you talk like a cowboy.”

Leo laughed and slapped the back of Jim’s hand. “Don’t be such a horn dog.”

“Look in a mirror and tell me you blame me.”

He scoffed and shoved some funnel cake in Jim’s mouth. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere.”

“I dunno,” Jim mumbled around his food. “It got me plenty of places before.”

“Well it’s not gettin’ you in my pants while there’s homework due tomorrow.” At this point, Leo was intentionally using his accent for the sole purpose of teasing Jim. It seemed to be working, given how Jim spent a lot of time adjusting the crotch of his pants. Leo smirked to himself the rest of the car ride home.

 

* * *

 

Jim dumped his backpack next to the table. “Okay. What do we have?”

“We have Chemistry, and I have a Morality paper to – what are you doing?”

Jim was fiddling with Leo’s laptop and opening the media player. “Nothing.”

“Don’t pander to me, kid, what are you doin?”

Jim threw a disbelieving glare at him. “‘Kid?’ I’m _older_ than you.” He ripped open the shrink wrap on their new CD and popped it into the laptop disc tray. The first track began playing automatically – a quiet, slow piece without any of the anarchy of the group’s earlier performance. When Jim finished with the laptop, he stood up and reached for Leo. “May I have this dance?”

“Huh?” Leo asked dumbly, staring at Jim’s hand.

“There’s no reason why we can’t dance whenever we want.”

Leo took his hand and let Jim pull him into an embrace. He wound around Leo to rest his arms at the small of his back and he aimlessly swayed them back and forth. The sight of Jim’s soft blue eyes in the dim light took Leo’s breath away. “Your eyes, Jim.”

“What about them?”

“God, they – they’re like—” a Georgian summer sky when you’re lazing under the trees to escape the heat; like the ocean and all its wondrous depths, lapping at the ankles of babes playing in the sands. For a few moments, staring was all Leo could do.

“Like what?” Jim asked quietly.

Leo swallowed, still locked onto Jim’s gorgeous eyes. “There are no words for them,” he croaked.

Suddenly, Jim looked small and vulnerable. “Leo?”

“Your eyes are so beautiful,” Leo murmured.

Jim gave a coy smile, the corners of his eyes growing a bit wet. “I dunno what to say to that.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

Jim cradled the back of his head and leaned in for a chaste kiss, his scruff tickling Leo’s chin. He buried his face in the crook of Leo’s shoulder, gentle presses of lips along his neck feeling like electric sparks as the soft music played. Homework didn’t matter; the time didn’t matter; all that mattered at that moment was Jim holding him and lovingly stroking his back. Leo tightened his hold and his boyfriend gave a quiet, happy sigh.

They danced through the song, and the next, and the next, until Leo murmured into Jim’s shoulder after having breathed him in for the last few moments. “I don’t wanna let go, but I don’t wanna fail this assignment either.”

Jim whined into his shoulder and reluctantly released him. “Okay… I guess we can start.”

 

* * *

 

Halfway through typing his Morality paper, Leo turned to look at Jim and saw him slumped over the table, snuffling softly and a bit of drool leaking from the corner of his lip. It was so endearing, seeing his friend so tired, Leo couldn’t help but lay a hand on his head to stroke his forehead.

“Jim,” he whispered. “Darlin’, wake up.”

Jim quietly snuffled and turned his head away from Leo, then started into a sitting position. “Whuh… what time is it?”

Leo glanced at his phone – it was well past eleven. He can do his paper during lunch anyway.

“Time for bed is what it is.”

Jim gave a wide yawn and stretched, giving his belly a scratch and his boyfriend a sleepy stare. “Okay.”

Leo brought Jim to the bathroom to prepare for bed. Jim put his contacts away while Leo brushed. Leo cleaned his face while Jim brushed. All in all, it was very domestic, evoking a funny feeling in Leo’s chest, like the warmth from hugging Jim, but a different sort he couldn’t place while so exhausted.

They plodded off to bed and stripped each other bare, then climbed under the covers. Jim brought Leo in for a tight hug. He buried his face in Leo’s neck and planted soft kisses over his pulse point.

All Leo could think about was how perfect the night had been.

 

* * *

 

Saturday’s game was a bit… boring, if Leo had to use a word to describe it. He could tell that Jim was getting bored, too, by how he seemed to jump in place and jitter a lot.

“I’m falling asleep out there,” Jim murmured to him during halftime. Leo just shoved an orange slice at him and rolled his eyes. Jim made a show of getting orange juice slurping down his chin, only for Leo to mentally replace it with an entirely different fluid.

The opposing team scored one try – that’s all. Their team on the other hand, scored three and a penalty kick. Twenty-four to seven was not a particularly exciting game.

“God, Leo, that game was _so_ boring,” Jim whined on the way home. They had decided to carpool to games on weekends, opting for the convenience over illusions of a casual relationship. If people thought more of it, whatever – or maybe Leo was more paranoid than he should be. “It looked boring. You looked like you were about ready to claw your eyes out.”

“ _Please,_ ” Jim said. “I thought I might keel over from how painful it was.”

Once at Jim’s house and inside, Jim spun him around and pressed Leo against the door, crowding into his space and pressing soft kisses to his lips.

“Been thinkin’ about this the whole car ride,” he whispered. Leo dropped his pack at his side and pulled Jim in closer to deepen the kiss, warm lips meeting in a heated dance of tongues. Leo was the first to reach for his boyfriend’s shirt and pull it off awkwardly, tossing it haphazardly into the… one of the adjacent rooms, anyway. Jim freed him of his shirt, and touched wherever he could. Hands roamed over back and shoulder, bicep and neck, skin and hair until Jim finally wrapped around Leo and picked him up, hooking his hands under Leo’s butt.

“Whoa, slow down there!”

Jim ignored him and carried him to his room, kissing Leo wherever his lips could reach – mostly Leo’s neck, where he sucked a few love bites.

“Jesus, Jim,” he groaned. Jim carefully laid Leo down on his bed and knelt between his legs, pressing kisses all over Leo’s tummy. Leo carded through Jim’s hair as he palmed and licked skin and fur to taste his sweat. He shivered with anticipation when Jim started pulling off their pants. Leo’s hard cock sprung free from his underwear to lay against his wet belly, then Jim set to work on his own shorts until blessedly naked.

Leo could only stare as Jim lavished him with kisses and licks around his cock.

“I wanna try something new today,” Jim murmured.

“Yeah?”

“Sit up, I want you to see.”

“What are you gonna do?” Leo drawled.

Jim sighed and burrowed his face into Leo’s thigh. “Keep talking Southern to me and you’ll find out.” Leo sat up so he could watch everything Jim did. When Jim’s fingers finally wrapped around his cock and stroked, Leo wondered why he wasn’t using lube.

“Did ya want the lotion?” he asked.

“Nah. Just watch, okay?”

Jim slowly kissed his way up Leo’s leg until he licked at the crest between thigh and groin. Leo watched, totally rapt as his boyfriend pressed a kiss to the tip of his cock. He gave a slight jerk from the sensation of warm, wet lips on the head. “Oh god,” he whispered. Jim looked up to meet his eyes and kept kissing his dick. His tongue peeked out to teasingly lick, right under the crown and Leo’s toes curled.

“Good?” Jim asked, a small smile teasing his lips.

His tongue dragged up and down the length of Leo’s cock, every wet stripe of spit felt like fire, an electric spark of pleasure. Leo was harder than he’d been in his entire life and wished desperately for release, and he—

Time seemed to slow as Leo watched his boyfriend open his lips and wrap them around the tip of his cock, surrounding it with wet heat. He let out of a noisy huff when Jim’s lips and tongue dragged further down his length, testing how far he could take it. When he drew away to speak, however, all Leo wanted was for those sinfully plush lips to return to his cock.

“I don’t think I’ll be very good at this so—”

“No,” Leo whispered, shaking his head. “Jim that felt so good. Please…”

“Well, since you asked so nicely…” Jim’s lips parted and he took Leo back into the wet confines of his mouth, sliding up and down his cock and sucking gently. Every drag of his tongue and swirl of his lips made a part of Leo twitch with pleasure. He brought a shaky hand up to pet Jim’s head as he worked up and down Leo’s manhood, slurping and sometimes sucking air in. He could only get about halfway down without choking.

Leo knew he wouldn’t last long; he let out a shuddering, shaky breath. “Oh Jim,” was all he could say.

Jim grabbed for his free hand and looked up to meet his eyes. The sight of Jim gazing up at him so soulfully, Leo’s dick in his _mouth_ sent him over the edge. He huffed out noisy breaths as he watched his cock throb between Jim’s lips, shooting spurt after spurt to fill Jim’s mouth with cum. Jim furrowed his brow, looking a bit like he tasted something weird, but he kept sucking lightly, tonguing along the underside of his dick through Leo’s aftershocks.

When Leo’s orgasm trailed off and he felt as limp as a noodle, Jim pulled off his dick and palmed up and down Leo’s thighs. He sat back and—

Oh Jesus.

Jim swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing down his throat. Jim just ate every drop of Leo’s cum. Leo’s jaw dropped – he couldn’t even say anything. Instead he reached for Jim and brought his head in to press a tender kiss to his forehead. He sweetly petted his boyfriend, trying to thank him as best he could in his silent stupor.

When he let go and reared back, panting noisily, Jim’s eyes darted between Leo’s face and his dick. The devious half-grin Leo instantly recognized curled his lips upward. “That was fun – I wanna do it again.”

“What?”

Jim leaned in to suck Leo’s soft cock back between his lips, taking the whole thing in.

“Oh god,” Leo huffed out. Jim licked and sucked on Leo’s dick, every touch of his tongue making him shudder from over-stimulation until it hardened again in his mouth.

Jim tried his best to take all of Leo but it was in vain – he choked when Leo’s cock head hit the back of his throat and Leo tried to pull Jim away.

“Darlin’ are ya okay?”

He pulled off Leo’s cock and wiped at his chin. “Yeah,” he groaned, his voice rough. “I just… need to practice.”

He coughed a bit and Leo slowly stroked a hand down his arm, whispering softly to him. “It’s okay darlin’, it’s okay.”

When Jim recovered, he leaned in to nuzzle at Leo’s belly, softly kissing him and licking at his fur. Leo rested a hand against the back of Jim’s neck, affectionately squeezing. Jim’s lips traveled further down until he dragged them over Leo’s dick and kissed the tip again.

Leo heaved out breaths, trying desperately not to cum so he could enjoy Jim’s service just a bit longer. He watched his cock disappear tortuously slow between those soft pink lips so intimately familiar to him. Jim sighed, his breath tickling Leo as it rushed over the base of his dick.

He tried so hard to last this time, but it wasn’t to be; his orgasm hit with near-blinding pleasure, narrowing his vision to watching his boyfriend gaze at him with soft blue eyes filled with warmth. His body convulsed with ecstasy and he shot another load into Jim’s mouth before nearly falling backward onto the bed with satisfaction. Jim held tightly onto his hand as he swallowed even more of Leo’s jizz.

Leo couldn’t fathom that Jim had eaten that much cum – _his_ cum. There was something deeply satisfying on a strange level, knowing his semen was so deep inside his boyfriend.

When he finally regained his faculties, Jim was rubbing his belly and kissing his soft dick. “Well, congratulations are in order, Leo, you aren’t a virgin anymore!”

“Wha—neither are you.”

“Er… I guess you’re right! Was it – was it good?” Jim gazed up at him, rubbing up and down Leo’s thighs.

He stared at the other man as if he’d grown a second head. “Good? It – god, Jim, it was amazing.”

Jim laughed nervously, ducking his head and blushing. “Really?” Leo brought him closer to plant soft kisses to Jim’s forehead. Jim met his lips, their tongues lazily tangling and Leo could taste himself on Jim. He parted and glanced down to see Jim’s cock dripping precum on the floor.

“Lemme make you feel good, Jim.”

“You don’t have t—”

Leo pressed his fingers to Jim’s lips to silence him. “I want to.”

They switched places, Jim guiding him to kneel in front of him and petting Leo’s head while Leo cushioned his knees with a pillow.

“I’ve never done this either,” he murmured.

“It’ll be great,” Jim whispered. He waited for Leo to start, stroking down his shoulders and back. Jim’s cock was stiff as an iron rod, standing at attention in front of Leo. He took it between his fingers and leaned in to press a kiss to the tip, tasting precum – it tasted just as good as the last time he’d eaten Jim’s cum.

Leo kept kissing his boyfriend’s dick, getting a few shudders and pants out of him. He licked over the head just like Jim liked to caress with his fingers and Jim tightly gripped his free hand. “Jesus Leo, that tongue…”

He slid his lips over the head of his cock, drawing them away and sucking lightly. Jim rewarded him with tender pets to his head. He pulled off to look at Jim’s cock, slick with the sheen of spit from his work. He kissed along the length and around Jim’s crotch, sucking tiny love bites along his thighs and licking up his abs. He slowly stroked Jim’s cock with his free hand, keeping him hard while his lips traveled up Jim’s belly. The hair coating him tasted vaguely of salt and smelled of sandalwood. He wouldn’t be happy until the trail of golden fur was slick with spit. Jim whined and he returned to his crotch, though he dove under to lick at Jim’s balls.

The other man let out a moan as Leo’s tongue worked over the furry sack. Jim twitched violently when he sucked one of Jim’s balls into his mouth, the smell of the blond curls framing his cock flooding his senses with Jim’s purest essence.

“Oh god, keep doin that.”

Jim cupped his cheek and gently thumbed the side of his head. Leo kept softly sucking, taking the other in. He wanted so badly to make Jim feel good, to make him feel wanted, every bit of him.

He let Jim’s balls drop out of his mouth with a quiet slap against his thighs, and brought the stiff cock back between his lips, cradling Jim’s wet sack in his palm again.

Jim’s dick filled his mouth, the taste of it divine and the smell intoxicating. He couldn’t help but suck even more of Jim’s penis into his mouth, loving how the veins felt under his tongue, how the head of his cock caught against his lips, how every lick into the slit rewarded him with more delicious precum.

Jim loved it as much as he did, whispering platitudes of “that feels so good,” and “god, Leo” every so often. His jaw ached by this point but he loved sucking Jim off. He wanted so much to take Jim’s cock all the way to the back of his throat that he—

—gagged by accident, sending him into a coughing fit. Jim stroked down his back as Leo’s throat spasmed painfully. Jim gently shushed him, petting his head. “You don’t have to keep going.”

Leo just shook his head and sealed his lips around the tip of Jim’s dick again, getting a huff of pleasure out of him. Leo sucked more enthusiastically now, bobbing his head up and down. Jim grabbed the back of his neck, though not to control him. He seemed to want to thank him for every jolt of arousal sent through him. Leo thought his jaw might actually lock, but then Jim panted noisily. “Leo, I’m – almost – just a bit more.”

That was what Leo wanted, more than anything to show Jim he cared for him and wanted all of him. He cupped Jim’s balls again, gently rolling them while he sucked on the tip of his cock, licking at the head when Jim finally gripped his head and held it still. Leo managed to slurp a bit more of Jim in his mouth and locked eyes with him, only to see a thin strip of blue along the edge of his eyes, pupils blown wide with want.

Jim cradled his face, stroking him with his thumbs as ropes of hot cum shot over his tongue, flooding his mouth. Leo took him even deeper as Jim’s cock throbbed, getting a beautiful moan out of him. Jim heaved Leo’s name out in heavy breaths as he emptied his load down Leo’s throat.

When the throbbing stopped and Jim gently petted Leo’s head, he drew away, sucking hard to take every bit of jizz with him. Cum didn’t quite taste as good as Leo had hoped – he savored it though, not because of its taste, but because it was Jim’s. If he loved seeing Jim swallow his cum, he’d bet hard cash Jim would love seeing him do it.

When Leo swallowed, Jim’s jaw dropped open and the tender petting softened further. He felt cherished, as if Jim considered Leo a precious and fragile gift.

“Holy shit, forget jerking each other off.”

“I jus’ wanna do that from now on,” Leo drawled.

“C’mere.” He pulled Leo onto the bed and drew him in to cuddle. “God, that mouth of yours is a problem for me.”

“Oh really?” Leo asked teasingly.

“I can’t think of a profession you could use your mouth for.”

Leo stared at him, bewildered. “What are you talkin’ about James?”

“Don’t call me James, that’s weird. And I mean the whole… masseur thing, if the rugby thing doesn’t work out.”

“Oh!”

“Yeah, if the doctor thing doesn’t work out – though it will. I can’t think of a profession you could do with your mouth.”

“Let’s stop this train of thought.”

“Maybe you could be a singer.”

“No.”

“Or a woodwind musician.”

“If you’re gonna be this talkative every time I suck your dick I’m gonna have to rethink the whole ‘I jus’ wanna do that from now on’ thing.”

Jim scoffed and tightened his hold around Leo. “Just hold me, then.”


	20. Chapter 20

Having sex in his kitchen hadn’t been on Leo’s bucket list, but if it had been, he could cross it off now. He isn’t sure what overcame him, but after having Jim Kirk’s cock between his lips he was hooked.

Buried nose-deep in Jim’s crotch was currently his favorite place to be. He had Jim’s pants about halfway down his thighs, a hand buried in his belly hair, and the other curled around the base of his dick.

Jim cradled Leo’s head in his lap, watching him slowly suck on his dick. “God, Leo…” he sighed. Leo put his all into pleasuring his boyfriend: the hand brushing up Jim’s belly stroked in small circles, carding through the blond fur and feeling every breath he took. With his hand around the hilt, he cradled Jim’s balls, just how he seemed to like. He gazed up at Jim, eyes half-lidded as he watched him bite his lip or suck in gasps of air.

Jim on the other hand did everything he could to carefully appreciate Leo’s work. He cupped his jaw and stroked down Leo’s head so softly it made Leo’s heart swell with joy; he had never felt so cherished before. His breathing came in harder pants as Leo worked, tongue slurping along the thick shaft in his mouth, tasting Jim’s precum and pulling off to kiss the head. When he paused for just a moment, Jim thumbed at his forehead and met his eyes.

“That feels so good,” he whispered. Even though no one else was home, Jim made a point of being quiet – they were in Leo’s kitchen, after all.

Leo shut his eyes and took Jim as deep as he could, until the head of Jim’s cock was nearly against the back of his throat. Jim slowly pulled him away to make sure he didn’t gag.

“I’m gonna cum,” Jim warned, but Leo took him deep again and swallowed around him. Jim held Leo still and stroked down the back of his head as his cock pulsed, shooting bitter-salty cum in Leo’s mouth. Jim bit his lip to keep from crying out, and Leo eagerly swallowed his load. “Oh god, Leo,” he moaned, softly, like his name were a magic word. “Leo…”

Leo sucked for a while longer; only after Jim went soft did he pull off, only to nuzzle his boyfriend’s crotch. Not for a moment did Jim stop petting him, thumb rubbing at the side of Leo’s cheek in lazy lines, hands supporting and embracing Leo as he kissed Jim’s dick.

In that moment he didn’t need to hear it – he knew Jim cared for him, just from how he looked at him. He drew Jim’s length back between his lips for one last suck before pulling off and helping him get his pants up.

“We really should get to work, now,” Jim chuckled.

Instead of standing up to work, Leo wrapped his arms around Jim’s thighs and burrowed his face in the furry skin of his tummy, smelling sandalwood and a light sweat. He pressed a single, lingering kiss right above his belly button before rising to his feet. Jim laughed again and brushed a trickle of cum away from the corner of Leo’s mouth and brought his thumb in for Leo to suck.

With every drop of Jim’s cum in his belly, Leo was finally satisfied and adjusted his pants to make his raging erection a bit less uncomfortable.

“You sure you don’t want me to take care of that yet?”

He just shook his head – homework awaited. “No, let’s get this ice cream going.”

“Wait.” Jim framed his face and gave a soft, yet passionate kiss to him; honestly, the sunny grin and adorable snort of laughter was reward enough. “Okay, now I’m ready.”

“Uh… okay so…” Leo retrieved the custard they had made before he’d let his primal urge overtake him. “We need to… add heavy cream and whatever else we want.”

“Have any cookie dough?”

Of course Jim wanted cookie dough – whenever he indulged his sweet tooth, he didn’t half-ass it. “Some in the middle drawer of the fridge.”

While Jim got that ready, Leo prepared a bag of ice. One bag inside a bag of ice for the custard…

After Jim separated the prepackaged dough into tiny chunks – and eaten a good deal of it himself – they were ready to begin.

“How long do I have to do this?” Leo asked as he gently shook the double bag, jostling the ice-salt mixture around to freeze the ice cream mix. The chill of the bag was numbing his fingers.

“Uh… until it’s frozen? I’m not sure.” Jim pulled out his notebook and pen. “So this is endothermic because…”

“Duh, the ice is absorbing heat from the mix by melting because of the salt. You already know that.”

Jim made detailed notes about the concentration of salt and ice—

“But the ice cream freezing is exothermic because heat is being leached out by the endothermic ice melting.”

“I know that too,” Jim chuckled. He made more notes, and doodled a bit on his notebook while waiting for Leo’s hands to nearly fall off.

“Nope, no more, it’s your turn.”

Jim had a go shaking the bag, while Leo ran his hands under water to warm them back up. They had to switch off twice each and add more ice and salt before the ice cream solidified enough to actually be ice cream instead of mush.

“I think we’re good!” Jim exclaimed. “It’s pretty firm.”

Leo noticed Jim’s tented pants. “So are you. What are you even thinking about while making _ice cream?_ ”

“That beautiful cock of yours, of course.”

Leo nearly choked on air, but the way Jim stared at his crotch just lent more credence to his statement. “You really only ever think of sex.”

“Especially now that I know what it’s like.”

“Just – just finish the project,” Leo muttered, blushing as his cock strained against his pants. Jim walked up behind him after and reached around to cup his erection.

“When we’re done, I’m sucking you off.”

While they did the final calculations for their experiment, Leo couldn’t stop thinking of Jim going down on his dick until he blew his load. His ability to mentally calculate anything had been completely destroyed by seven words. Before Leo could actually try the ice cream, Jim pulled the bag away from him and set it back in the big bag of ice. “Not yet.”

“But we have to—”

Jim cut him off with a slow, ardent kiss and Leo found himself helpless to Jim’s hands moving lower to undo his belt.

“Jim, the experiment,” he huffed.

“The experiment can wait.” Jim trailed his lips over Leo’s neck and – once his belt was undone and his pants around his knees – lifted his shirt to lick along his chest. “God, Leo…” He pressed kiss after kiss to Leo’s chest, admiring his newly built muscle. Jim left a trail of wet licks and soft kisses all over him until he delivered a few soft kisses to his nipple. “You’re gonna make me fall from an A average to a B average.”

“M-me? What about y—” Jim kissed over his belly button and licked through the hair coating him. “—you’re gonna make – make me fall from an A to a C average.”

When Jim licked up his cock now freed from his underwear, Leo’s mind went blank. All that existed was his boyfriend’s lips and tongue trailing over his dick before sealing over the tip. Leo swore he saw Jim smirk when he sucked his dick as deep as he could.

“Oh my god, Jim” he moaned. He stared at Jim as he sucked slowly, playing with himself in his jeans. The sounds Leo made weren’t intelligible as Jim licked over the head of his dick.

“Good?” Jim asked when he pulled away to kiss the tip.

“Uh huh,” he dumbly replied.

Jim cupped his balls with his free hand and sucked on the crown, working his tongue into the slit to get at Leo’s precum. The tongue flicking right under the tip only made Leo squirm underneath Jim, nearly falling off the bar stool. He flung a hand out to stabilize himself and Jim snorted out a laugh around his cock. He had to pull off so he could chuckle unimpeded.

“Ugh, you dork,” Leo groaned. That only made Jim laugh harder and he fell forward, his face buried against Leo’s thigh. “Dammit Jim!”

When Jim finally calmed down he gave a kiss to Leo’s thigh. “You’re hotter when you’re angry, you know that?”

“I am? Why on earth would you think _thaaaa_ —” he trailed off when Jim drew his cock back between his lips.

He moaned around Leo, eager to work another load out of him. When Leo regained his balance, he took either side of Jim’s head and gently caressed him.

“Oh fuck, Jim…”

Jim took him as deep as he could, stretching his lips out to try getting all the way to the base of Leo’s manhood without choking himself. When he felt his balls draw up, apparently so did Jim, because he licked up and down Leo’s cock while sucking him deep until Leo writhed under him, emptying a load in Jim’s eager mouth.

While Leo gasped out his boyfriend’s name, Jim moaned around him, sucking at the tip to milk every drop of jizz out.

“Forget dropping to a C average,” Leo heaved out. He watched Jim’s throat bob to swallow his cum, then he sweetly kissed his dick. “You’re gonna kill me.”

Jim gave him the cocky half-grin that always warmed Leo’s heart. “Maybe that’s the idea.”

“Let’s – let’s—” Leo wasn’t even sure what he was trying to say. Instead he pulled up his pants and brought Jim in to softly kiss his forehead. “Lemme jus’… hold you for a bit.”

Although he let Leo lovingly pet him for a few moments, Jim pulled away to get the ice cream out of the bag, and Leo whined at the loss of his boyfriend’s soft hair between his fingers. “Let’s have some ice cream, then we can cuddle.”

The ice cream was pretty good – it wasn’t store-bought quality, but as they sat on the couch eating the creamy dessert, wrapped around each other, Leo found little to complain about. Jim griped that the cookie dough was too hard and the chocolate was stuck in his teeth, earning a punch to his arm when he asked Leo to lick it out.

 

* * *

 

The doorbell rang.

Leo got up from where he and Jim were sitting in the living room and answered, only to find Jocelyn standing on the porch. She looked distraught and a bit frazzled, a strange look in her eye.

“It didn’t work!” She looked over Leo’s shoulder. “Oh, am I interrupting something?”

Leo turned around to see that Jim had followed him.

“Uh, no, we’re doing homework. Come on in.”

He waved her in, and she groaned once they sat in the living room. “Like I was saying, it didn’t work.”

“What didn’t?” Jim asked, furrowing his brow and glancing between them.

“Last time I was here, Leonard suggested that I ask Clay to do the end-of-semester psychology project with him. Oh, your mom asked me to come over again, but that’s not why I’m here.”

“She _did!?_ ” Jim roared.

“Whoa,” Jocelyn said, reading back like Jim were a hungry tiger.

Jim turned to gaze at Leo and pointed sternly at him. “You need to tell your dad.”

Suddenly, ‘you’re hotter when you’re angry’ made more sense. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry… I will.”

Jim’s expression quickly changed from angry to guilty. “Sorry for yelling,” he murmured.

“It’s okay, I know why you’re angry. So… why didn’ it work?” Leo asked. It was only Tuesday – project partners weren’t finalized until—

“Someone else got to him first,” she whined, flopping back over the arm of the overstuffed chair. “Can I have some?” She gestured toward the snack tray of vegetables and ranch dip.

“Sure. Who’s this again?”

“Clay Treadway,” Jocelyn answered.

Jim’s eyes widened. “I know him! Well… I know _of_ him.”

“Well now I don’t have any ideas. Brianna got to him before I could. What if _she_ wants to date him?” Jocelyn grumbled hopelessly.

“What about jus’… asking him out?”

Leo recoiled slightly under her chastising glare. “Uh, have you seen him? His eyes could melt ice. Every time I see him I get this crazy fluttery feeling in my stomach and I can barely talk.”

“Sounds like how Leo acted when I first spoke to him.”

Leo glared at Jim and shoved his shoulder. “Don’t tell her that!”

Jim – the little shit – grinned at him. “You should see your face right now.”

“What about a—”

“You see the crease in his brow?”

“—study group?” Leo asked, ignoring Jim even as he sidled up and pulled him into a side hug.

“A study group…?” Jocelyn asked. She looked skeptical, an eyebrow raised. “Well, he’s kinda… falling behind in chemistry.”

“Yeah!” Jim exclaimed, clapping his hands together excitedly. “I overheard him talking about that the other day, that’s perfect! We’re weeks ahead of the normal chemistry curriculum. It should be easy to tutor someone in regular chemistry.”

“How do you know him, anyway?”

“Let’s just get him over here and talk to him that way!”

Jocelyn slowly nodded at Jim. “I – yeah, yeah I think that could work. But how would we get him here? I can’t talk to him about it.”

Leo glanced at Jim and shrugged. Maybe he didn’t hear his question. “I don’t even know what he looks like.”

“He’s got tawny hair and eyes the color of chocolate and he—”

“I can do it,” Jim said, interrupting her waxing poetic of her object of affections.

“Really?”

Jim just shrugged. “He’s friends with some of the other rugby players and he talks to me sometimes. You know, like… pleasantries, or… whatever.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“Yeah, why not? At the very least, it’ll get rid of his mom’s excuse to invite you over to try turning him to the dark side.”

Jocelyn scoffed, and together with Leo asked, “The dark side?”

“What? I can’t make jokes now?”

 

* * *

 

“So then, when we started working out, I did everything I could to make him just… tackle me out of sexual frustration.”

“Like what?”

Jim was currently wrapped around a very disgruntled Leo, their fingers twined together and his muscular arms caging him in, or he would have left to burn with embarrassment in solitude.

“Flexing as much as possible, finding every excuse to take off my shirt, stuff like that.”

“Oh my _god,_  please, Jim,” Leo groaned. He couldn’t even cover his face, what with Jim keeping his arms restrained.

Jim just chuckled into his neck, kissing over his pulse point.

“ _Stop,_ you two are so adorable. I’m getting cavities.” She grinned around another carrot she was eating. “You were saying?”

“Oh, and then I—”

The front door opened and Leo’s gaze darted over to see who had come home. Eleanora walked into the living room upon hearing Jocelyn and Jim’s laughter. She spent a moment glaring at Jim hugging Leo tightly. “No?” Jocelyn shook her head with a smirk. Eleanora shrugged and dropped her purse by the coatrack. “I guess she’s not his type…”

“ _Who’s_ not his type?” Leo could recognize that voice anywhere, but he’d never heard it sound quite so harsh. David walked in from the hallway and, arms crossed, glared hot and angry at Eleanora.

“David! I – I didn’ know you’d be home so early.”

“Eleanora,” he started, deathly serious. “What do you mean ‘she’s not his type’? _Jim_ is his type.”

“What? That’s not what I – I was just talkin’ about how—”

“I see what’s goin’ on. I see it an’ I don’t like it. We’re gonna have a long talk about this. In _private._ ”

So much for needing to tell David himself. Eleanora stalked off to another room and David nodded apologetically to them. “That won’ happen again. ‘m sorry, son.”

“It’s okay, I guess. She—”

“No, it’s not okay,” he cut in. “I’m gonna go have words with her. You have fun, ya hear?” His last words were disturbingly cheery compared to the anger directed at his wife.

“Okay,” all three of them answered.

“Your dad is _terrifying,_ ” Jocelyn whispered after David departed.

“Tch, yeah he is,” Jim chuckled.

 

* * *

 

Normally Leo didn’t pay any mind to the various bulletins around school. None of the fliers ever interested him and they certainly weren’t changing that trend tod—

On second thought.

‘Open mic night’ at a local bar. ‘Minors welcome before 10 (drinking age will be strictly enforced).’ He’d never been to one before. ‘Poetry, singing, and more’ it promised. It sounded nice; maybe Jim would like to go.

Leo pulled out his phone and started texting.

To: Jim   
_So, I found a flier for this thing on Friday…_

 

* * *

 

“Snacks?”

“Ready.”

“Books?”

“Ready. Can I blow you now?”

“Dammit, Jim, we have guests comin’ over!” A knock at the door alerted them to their first guest. Jim let Jocelyn in – she had predictably prettied herself up as much as possible, with her hair in a tight ponytail and plenty of makeup. Her tank top revealed much more than strictly necessary.

“I don’t know about this,” she groaned.

“It’ll be fine,” Leo placated, ushering her into the living room and sitting her down on the couch. A mess of chemistry notes and lecture material littered the table. They had stuffed in an extra chair, making the room a bit cozy.

“What if he doesn’t show what if he doesn’t like me what if—”

“Jocelyn!” Leo said. “It’ll be fine! He’ll show.”

Jim tiptoed up behind him and whispered to him. “We can’t promise that, Leo.”

“You shush, you aren’t helpin’.”

Jim indignantly furrowed his brow, but then the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!”

“Shit… shit, that’s him.” She hurriedly produced a handheld mirror to inspect her hairdo. “How do I look?”

“You look fine,” Leo said. “Just – deep breathing.”

“Fine? Just _fine?_ ”

Leo shrugged with exasperation. If this was how Jocelyn would be the entire study group, there’s no way Clay would go for her. “Alright, you look ‘fine as a summer day’, just – it’ll go great.”

Jim returned to the living room with Clay in tow. Jocelyn hadn’t been lying that Clay was a bit of a looker – his hair was done up nice and some sort of fresh scent wafted into the air when he awkwardly walked by Leo.

“Um, hi.” He gave a shy wave and decidedly avoided Jocelyn’s gaze.

“Nice to meet you,” Leo said, doing his best to sound cheerful as he offered a hand to shake. Clay took it and nodded – his hand was clammy. “I’m—”

“Bones, I know you. Who doesn’t?”

Leo restrained himself from growling – the only person in the room who really mattered used the name he liked.

Jim offered his hand and they exchanged a shake, though Leo could tell he was holding back a subtle scowl.

“Jim Kirk.”

“That’d be me,” Jim said.

“How was, uh… the game yesterday?”

“Good, um… good, they put up a good fight. The team’s great this year, five for five. Just gotta make sure the trend continues.”

“Ah, cool, cool…”

Silence overtook the room and Leo threw a chastising glance at Jocelyn, who was nervously chewing a nail. “Well um… we have snacks and everything you should need set up, so uh…” Leo felt just as awkward as Clay probably did. “Why don’t you have a seat next to Jocelyn here and we can get started?”

The study session was uncomfortable, to say the least. For the first half hour, they exchanged stilted conversation and tried to weasel out of Clay what exactly he had difficulties with.

Then, they got Jocelyn and Clay working together on problems. At first they just asked each other how they got the solution, then it became small talk, then suddenly they chattered together about something or other – Leo wasn’t really paying attention. He was more interested in Jim, whose foot had migrated over to his under the table to toe at his ankle.

“Jim,” he whispered. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” he mumbled back.

While Jocelyn and Clay spoke animatedly, Jim tickled Leo’s leg by trailing his toes along the hair. Leo’s cock stirred and he glared at his boyfriend.

“What are you _doing?_ ” he asked through gritted teeth.

“I dunno what you’re talking about,” Jim replied, throwing him a half-grin.

Leo had to cover his crotch with a textbook to prevent Jocelyn and Clay from seeing his dick tenting his pants.

The only upside was that Jim couldn’t reach his crotch without it being overly obvious, though Jocelyn and Clay seemingly ignored them in favor of talking to each other.

“At least it’s working,” Leo grumbled. His face burned hot as he adjusted his pants, trying desperately to make his boner less uncomfortable.

“I wonder if there’s any ice cream left,” Jim mused to himself. He stood from the couch and plodded off into the kitchen, leaving Leo alone with the would-be lovebirds, who were still ignoring him. Once his arousal was less obvious, he excused himself to find Jim, who was eating leftover cookie dough ice cream at the dining room table.

“So how are they?”

Leo sat down next to him and sighed. “Well, things are lookin’ up. Maybe she’ll leave with his number, or somethin’ an’ she won’t feel so lonely.”

“Hey,” Jim murmured, grabbing hold of Leo’s hand. “You’re amazingly sweet, you know that?”

“I – um – yes?”

Jim chuckled and fed a scoop of ice cream to Leo. “You don’t sound too convinced.”

Leo looked over his shoulder toward the living room where they still conversed enthusiastically. When Jim squeezed his hand, he turned back to look at him.

“Not many people would do what you’re doing, helping a near-stranger hook up with somebody.”

Leo looked down at their joined hands and Jim squeezed again. He looked up to meet Jim’s baby blues and his heart filled with joy at the sight of his gentle smile.

“I’m really lucky to have you.”

Leo had no idea how to reply to that. Jim preempted him from replying at all by shoving more ice cream in his mouth. They sat in silence for a few minutes, polishing off the rest of it while Jim thumbed his wrist. Jim scooted his chair closer and they both leaned in, accidentally knocking their foreheads together.

“Ow!” Leo said, though he laughed and rubbed his head.

Jim chuckled and wrapped an arm around him, pulling them to sit side by side. Leo sighed happily as they – this time successfully – let their foreheads rest together. Jim’s hand found his again and Leo gently gripped it, stroking with a thumb. Being with Jim made him happier than he could remember ever being in his life.

Their quiet moment was interrupted by – ironically – silence.

“Hey, I don’t hear them anymore.”

Jim pulled away and turned an ear toward the living room. “Huh. I don’t either.”

“I’ll be right back,” Leo said. He scooted out of his chair and pressed a kiss to Jim’s temple before wandering back to the living room—

—where he found Jocelyn and Clay heatedly kissing.

“Oh,” he started, backing away to give them what mediocre privacy an open room could afford.

“What happened? You’re red as an apple.”

Leo sat back down next to Jim and covered his smile with a palm. “Well, it worked, let’s just put it that way. Let’s give the two lovebirds some alone time—”

“So _these_ two lovebirds can have some alone time?” Jim waggled his eyebrows and Leo sighed with exasperation.

“I’m not makin’ out with you when two near-strangers – your words, not mine – are in my livin’ room unattended.”

“Always the man of reason.” Jim’s hand suddenly gripped his jaw and gently turned him for a soft kiss. “At least lemme give you that.”

Leo couldn’t stop a grin from splitting his face and he gave Jim another kiss.

“That’s the smile I adore. Come on, maybe we can shoo them out.”

Turned out he didn’t have to. As they left for the kitchen, Jocelyn walked up to them looking not a bit disheveled.

“Hey, Leonard, we’re gonna go continue… studying at my place, are you cool with that?”

Leo smiled knowingly. “O’course I am.”

“Okay, cool.” She turned back toward him at the end of the hallway. “Oh and, thank you.”

“No problem.” Leo waved awkwardly to her as she and Clay showed themselves out. He turned back to Jim, who smirked as he looked up and down Leo. “What are you lookin’ at?”

Jim’s hands met his biceps and stroked along them. “My devastatingly handsome boyfriend, of course. What do you say we get some alone time too?”

Leo crossed his arms, detaching Jim from him. “You know that homework that we didn’t finish?”

“Yeah?”

“The homework that’s due _tomorrow?_ ”

Jim stalked off to the living room, his hands held up in surrender. “Fine, we’ll do homework, sheesh.”

 

* * *

 

“Papa?”

“Yes?”

Leo shut the office door behind him. David was at his computer, typing up some report or something for the hospital. Leo sat in the big oak chair across from him – the cushion was a little flat and the wood dug into his bones.

“Um… I wanted to ask for some advice.”

David dimmed the monitor and turned to fully face Leo. “Well, what about, son?”

“I… wanna do something nice for Jim.”

David took off his glasses and placed them on top of a manila file thick with paperwork. “Well what did you have in mind?”

“That’s the thing, I don’t know. He – he’s so good to me and I – I wanna show him I care for him, but I don’t know how to do that.”

“Have you tried tellin’ ‘im?”

“Yeah… plenty of times, but I wanna _show_ him.”

“Do you mean… showin’ him or… _showin’_ him?”

His father was an ass. A dirty-minded, shameless ass.

“Papa! Not like _that._ ”

David just chuckled and bit a finger. This was exactly why Leo was hesitant to talk to him.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry.”

“Talkin’ to you about this is hard enough without the embarrassin’ jokes.”

“Why’s it hard to talk to me about him?”

“Because he’s—” a man? No, it’d still be somewhat awkward if Jim were not. “He’s my boyfriend,” Leo mumbled. “I – I dunno, it still feels weird that you know.”

David looked at him pointedly until Leo met his eyes. “Leonard McCoy, you know I’m not one to judge. You can talk to me ‘bout anything ya want, even your boyfriend. Hell, if ya asked I’d get ya labeled diagrams on—”

“Stop, stop!” Leo yelled, fingers shoved in his ears.

“Okay! Okay… but do ya get what I mean?”

Leo diverted his gaze to look at David’s desk instead – also made of oak. Medical papers and executive toys littered the surface. “Not really?”

“It don’t matter to me if you’re gay or straight or bi, as long as you’re happy.”

Leo looked down at the floor in shame – he’d underestimated how open his father was.

“Now it sounds like that boy of yours really makes you happy an’ you wanna do somethin’ nice for him.”

“Yeah, but… what?”

“Have ya considered a gift?”

Leo wasn’t entirely sure what sort of gift Jim might appreciate. “Well uh… I’m – I don’t have any ideas for gifts.”

David scratched his chin, looking at the bookshelf behind Leo. “What about… have you thought of any big romantic gestures you could do?”

“No.”

“Flowers?”

“I don’t think he’d like flowers.”

“Everybody likes flowers an’ if they say otherwise, they haven’t found the right flowers.”

“How would I give another guy flowers?”

David made a few meaningless gestures with his hands in exasperation. “I don’t know! Whenever I gave your mama any I just left a vase of them on the dining room table! What about a… foot rub or somethin’?”

“No…”

“Well, what does he like?”

Leo furrowed his brow in confusion. “That’s what I’m tryin’ to figure out!”

“No, I mean does he have any interests outside of school an’ rugby?”

“He likes… weird buildings. I’m still tryin’ to weasel more out of him about that. He likes outer space.”

“The observatory?”

“I think—” Leo recalled how he’d been opposed to a job as an astronomer, saying he’d just get bored sitting in an observatory, unable to actually experience space. “Hmm…”

“Could always take him out to see the stars, but I guess he could do that on his own.”

“Let’s keep thinking. Oh, he mentioned the other day that he’d always wanted to go to the aquarium as a kid, but his mom was never around and his uncle—” Maybe don’t share that detail.

“There you go!” David turned to his computer and called up an internet search. “I know there ain’t one in town but… gimme a sec.”

Leo perused David’s executive toys while he waited. The one nearest to him was a Galaxy perpetual motion toy of colorful concentric rings that would ‘orbit’ at different speeds. It wasn’t _really_ perpetual motion – there was a motor in the base. Leo pulled the pendulum on the Decision Maker and watched the metal ball chaotically shift from magnet to magnet in the base until it landed on ‘reorganize’; that wasn’t particularly helpful right now.

“There!” David exclaimed, startling Leo. There’s an aquarium in Dubuque.”

“Dubuque?” Leo sighed in defeat. “I’ve never left town by myself, how am I gonna get to Dubuque?”

“Oh, that part’s easy. You jus’ go north on I-35 for a while an’ then take the exit onto route 20.”

“That’s still over a hundred an’ fifty miles away! That is not a day trip, papa.”

“So make it a road trip.”

“I can’t afford to go to Dubuque and back…” Leo hung his head in defeat – if he’d known the only aquarium nearby was three and a half hours away by highway, he wouldn’t have mentioned it.

“But I can.”

Leo glanced up to see his father smiling widely. “What?”

“Look, I make a ton of money, an’ I gotta make up for your mama’s… indiscretion… somehow.” David scowled at the mention of it. “She ain’t gonna be botherin’ you no more, by the way.”

“What did you say to her?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Leo felt a chill pool in his gut – he always loathed being the subject of David McCoy’s ire. When Leo screwed up, David told him in no uncertain terms just how bad it was – he was nothing if not stern. Luckily he was much more than that.

Eleanora, on the other hand, had seemed more aloof since Tuesday, acknowledging him only when necessary. He shuddered at the thought of what his father could have said to her.

“I’ll start lookin’ for a hotel an’ you can worry about the touristy things. An’ don’t you go skimpin’ on the cost on account a me, ya hear?”

“O-okay papa. Um, thank you.”

“When did ya wanna do this?”

Memorial Day weekend was coming up, but doubtless the city would be packed with vacationers. On the other hand, AP exams were only two weeks away. “Weekend of the… tenth, I think?”

David scribbled down the date on his notepad, then looked up to smile at Leo. “I’m sure he’ll love it.”

Leo waved to excuse himself back to his room, where he set out to find out as much as he could about the city he’d be visiting.

 

* * *

 

“So tell me where we’re going again?”

“A local bar. There’s an open mic night startin’ in twenty minutes.”

“Ah. Hm.” Jim seemed to stare at nothing rather than look at Leo.

“Ya okay? You look like you saw a ghost.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Leo kept driving, but every time he glanced over at Jim, he was either tapping his foot or biting a fingernail.

“Are you _sure_ you’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Bullshit. You’re gnawing your fingers off and you can’t sit still. What is it?”

Jim mumbled something that Leo couldn’t hear over the rumble of his truck’s engine. “Come again? I couldn’t hear—”

“I don’t like being around drunk people.”

“Well I bet – I don’t – hmm.”

“Don’t try to tell me there aren’t gonna be any drunk people.”

“Well, I mean… minors are welcome before ten, so… maybe not so much?”

“ _Someone’s_ always drunk in a bar. It’s a _bar._ ”

Dammit, Jim. Sometimes he read Leo just as well as he could read him. “Uh… is there any reason you don’t like bein’ around drunk people?”

“Well, for one, they act like idiots. Social mores exist for a reason and being drunk is a shitty excuse to throw those out the window.”

“Is it just because people act stupid?”

Jim remained silent for a few moments. Leo glanced over to see him picking at his nails again.

“Jim… we don’t have to go to this. I just would – it would be nice to know why, if you’re comfortable tellin’ me.”

“Are you sure you wanna know?” Jim asked.

“Well… if you’re okay with it?”

Jim sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “My un—Frank is usually drunk whenever he hits me.”

Leo’s heart sank – of _course_ he was. No wonder Jim hated being around drunk people. Then again, Leo had never been around anyone drunk other than family members at reunions and they were civil. Mostly.

It really was amazing how many repercussions bad parenting had. Then again, Leo was reluctant to ever describe Frank with the term ‘parent.’ He reached over and took Jim’s hand – partly so he couldn’t pick at his nails – and squeezed.

“We don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” he assured him quietly. “I thought it’d be fun, since I’ve never been to one of these things.”

Jim shrugged a bit and his lips finally curled upward. “Okay.”

“We can leave if it goes south for whatever reason. This is supposed to be fun, not stressful. Besides, don’t bars have bouncers?”

Once they stepped into the dimly lit bar, the smell of beer hit Leo. It smelled like the pale ale David sometimes drank – usually when there wasn’t anything else, his father preferred other things. Most everyone there was in their early twenties if Leo had to guess. A cheap-looking stage sat at one end of the bar with a mic stand set up on it. The show wouldn’t start for at least ten minutes.

“I’ll go get food,” Jim said. “Find a place for us to sit.”

Leo found a small table a good way away from the stage and sat with his feet on Jim’s chair. He watched Jim talk to the bartender until his attention wavered and he perused the rest of the bar. A few minutes later, Jim brought him two green drinks in conic glasses and a basket of onion rings.

“Dude! The bartender asked if I was a designated driver and I was like, ‘Uhhhh yes,’ and he gave me this wristband that says I get free appetizers and virgin drinks!”

“What? No way. You don’t look that old, do you?” Leo asked incredulously. He searched Jim for a moment, zeroing in on his scruff.

“I dunno, he didn’t card me.” Jim handed a drink to Leo – it was an interesting neon green color with an apple wedge.

Leo took a sip and puckered his lips a bit. “It tastes like sour apple candy.”

“Do I detect a hint of grapefruit?”

“I don’t think it’d taste anywhere as good with alcohol in it.”

Jim shook his head and took another sip. “Yeah, it’s fine as it is.”

Leo himself had several reservations against drinking – he figured Jim was the same thanks to his uncle’s abusive behavior. The onion ring breading was layered on thick and crunchy with a huge, hot onion slice in the middle. They came with a small bowl of marinara that tasted awesome.

Both of them – and much of the audience – winced as a screech of the mic alerted them to someone on stage. A young woman with an acoustic guitar apologized profusely as she tried to adjust the microphone to her height.

After introducing herself, she did some last-minute tuning on her guitar and started playing a languid country rhythm. She sang of finding joy in simple things: a rainy day, a funny joke, a rainbow, a child’s laughter. It wasn’t like any country song Leo had ever heard, and though the lyrics were a little clumsy sometimes, she had a nice singing voice and a good rhythm with her guitar. The audience clapped loudly when she finished and bowed.

“She was good,” Jim said.

“Yeah, she was.” Leo drained his drink, and wanted to try something else. “Anything else we should try?”

“Uh, lemme go look and I’ll pick something. Anything you don’t like?”

“Coconut, and… I think that’s all.”

Jim went off to the bar while the next performer came on stage. He was a young man, probably in his twenties dressed in a t shirt and khakis. He introduced himself and took out a few sheets of paper. Jim returned after he started reading aloud a poem.

“Hey, try this and tell me what you think.”

Jim set a light purple drink down in front of him – it looked a bit slushy. When Leo took a sip, it tasted distinctly of raspberry and cream. “Oh, I like this. What is it?”

“Raspberry Russian.”

“Should we really be trying all these drinks that normally have alcohol in them?”

Jim shook his head. “I don’t intend to drink. I’m not gonna be like him.”

Leo glanced around them – far too many patrons nearby for them to have this discussion right now. He turned his attention toward the person reading on the stage – he’d been occupied with the drink and Jim and had totally zoned out. The poet was reading about oppression and prejudice. Someone yelled “Preach it!”

The next performer was also a poet, though her work was more languid and artful, weaving metaphors together into a vivid landscape in Leo’s mind.

“Wow, she should be publishing,” Jim murmured.

“She’s like the next Shelley.”

“The next Byron.”

Leo met Jim’s gaze. “Definitely the next Byron.”

The next person onstage played an acoustic cover of a popular, upbeat Soul song. She had a great tone and good vocal range, though her guitar playing was a little lackluster – she did look rather nervous. She’d improve with practice and more performances – maybe Leo would see her on TV some day.

With their drinks empty and their onion rings consumed, Jim looked longingly toward the bar. “Do you want something in particular?”

“Uh…” Leo had no idea what variety of drinks existed. “Something with strawberry in it?”

“Comin’ right up!” Jim exclaimed, slapping the table and taking their dishes away. Leo rolled his eyes, though a smile curled his lips.

Jim came back with a tall glass of tomato juice, a wide, flared glass of red smoothie for Leo, and a basket of steak fries.

Leo sipped his drink through the straw – it tasted like a strawberry and lime smoothie. “Oh, I like this. What is it?”

“Strawberry Daiquiri.”

Leo pulled out his phone and noted the name of it for later. “What’s yours?”

“Bloody Mary.” He took a sip and grimaced. “Ew, no, no thank you.”

“What?” Leo took the drink from Jim and got the taste of spicy tomato juice. “Ugh, that’s weird. Although I have had weirder.”

“I never liked tomato juice. Can I mooch off yours?”

The next two performers breezed by while they ate their steak fries and shared the Daiquiri. Leo declined another drink – he wasn’t sure he had space for more. When the final performer said goodnight and thank you, the crowd slowly dispersed through the front doors.

On the way home, Leo recalled how Jim had referred to his uncle. He glanced over to see Jim barely lit up by the screen of his phone as he fiddled with picking a wallpaper.

“Jim?”

“Yeah?”

Leo took a deep breath – this could go one of two ways. Either Jim shut him down or took it to heart. “I don’t know your uncle. I only know what you’ve told me about him, an’ I don’t like a single thing about it.” At a red light, Leo glanced over to see Jim still playing with his phone. “I know you, though.” He turned back to the road when the light changed and kept going with his monologue. “I know you don’t wanna be anything like him, but… you’re nothing like him. You won’t ever be anything like him.”

At the next red light, Leo side-eyed Jim to see him side-eyeing him. He still hadn’t replied.

“Everything you’ve told me about your uncle just tells me he’s scum. Scummier than scum. I – who beats a child? – I mean, the thought of someone hitting you is bad enough, but… you’d never do that, Jim. I know you’d never do that.” Leo turned down the street toward the main intersection that determined where they’d go – Jim’s house, or Leo’s. “Do you wanna go home, or to my place?”

Jim’s reply was too quiet to hear.

“I couldn’t hear you.”

“Can I stay with you tonight?” It was so quiet and vulnerable Leo couldn’t say no.

He turned down the road toward his house and went right for the clincher. “I know you’d never hit a kid, Jim. Drunk or not, it’s not in you. You’re so much better than that, I – you’re not another Frank.”

Jim’s hand met Leo’s on the steering wheel and tightly gripped it. “Thank you,” he whispered.


	21. Chapter 21

Thinking it wasn’t a good night for anything incredibly intimate, Leo sat Jim down on the couch to watch a movie with him. Jim sat himself between Leo’s legs so Leo could wrap around him.

Jim didn’t really say much during it. Leo didn’t feel much impetus to get him to talk. He seemed perfectly content to let Leo hold him in relative quiet.

After the movie ended, they turned in early to sleep together – though for a while they cuddled and kissed before they actually slept.

They woke up to the sound of chirping birds. Jim had positioned himself so his face was nestled against Leo’s heart, and when he woke he ran his cheek through Leo’s chest hair. Leo shifted down the bed so his cock wasn’t quite so obviously poking into Jim’s belly and wrapped around him again. He sighed and nuzzled Jim’s neck – it was Saturday, and they didn’t have anything to do other than carpool to the game, although the whine Jim let out wasn’t exactly promising.

“I have to do chores this morning before the game…”

Leo held him tighter, wanting to make him stay. He didn’t care if they did nothing other than cuddle naked.

“Is there any way I can persuade you to stay?” he asked.

“Not really, I’ve been putting this off for a while and it needs doing. Besides, I need some alone time to psych myself up for the game.”

“Okay.”

Jim let Leo cuddle with him for a few more minutes before disentangling himself from his limbs and the blankets. “Okay, I should go get that done.” After he dressed, he leaned down to give Leo a soft kiss. “I’ll come get you at eleven, okay?”

After Jim was long gone, Leo buried himself in his covers to nap for a bit longer, surrounded by the smell of his boyfriend.

 

* * *

 

It had to happen eventually, though Leo was hoping it would happen later rather than sooner. The game ended up being a huge bust. The opposing team made gain after gain on theirs, scoring three tries and two dropkicks. Jim’s morale was in shambles; with their captain in poor spirits, the rest of the team went along with it. Unable to focus on the game, they only managed to score two tries, resulting in a devastating defeat of fourteen to twenty-seven.

Jim had opted to carpool to the game, but Leo almost regretted the decision from how uncomfortable Jim’s silence was as he drove them back to Leo’s house.

“Jim, are you okay?” he asked hesitantly.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” Jim said, deathly quiet.

“Can we talk about it later?”

Jim went so long without replying that Leo thought he hadn’t heard him until Jim finally mumbled, “Yeah.” Jim dropped Leo off at his house without much to say. “Sorry,” he said, as Leo stepped out of the car and turned toward the front door. “We’ll talk later? I just… need some time to myself.”

Leo spun to look at him again. “Do you… want me to wait a while?”

“No, just… come over like you usually do.”

“Text me when you get home safe.”

Jim gave Leo a funny look, like he couldn’t believe he’d just been asked that, before his expression softened. “Okay. Okay, I will.”

 

* * *

 

Once Leo washed up, he checked his phone – Jim texted him twenty minutes ago.

From: Jim  
 _I’m home._

Leo felt a little embarrassed about asking, but at least Jim humored him.

He drove over around two, and Jim ushered him to his room. Jim looked a little lost, as if he were unsure what to do now that Leo was actually here.

“Jim?”

Jim glanced up to meet Leo’s eyes.

“How are you feeling?”

Jim sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Angry.”

“What are you angry at?”

“The game!” he yelled. “I – sorry. I’m angry at the game,” he murmured.

Leo sat down on the bed and gestured for Jim to join him. “Tell me what makes you angry about it.”

Jim sat down and fiddled with the hem of his pant leg. “I just – everyone counts on me to direct them, right?”

Leo paused. “Well… mostly. You can’t direct _everything_ they do, right?”

“Well… no. But I just – I couldn’t get my head in the game, and everyone suffered for it.”

Leo stroked Jim’s shoulder. “Why couldn’t you get your head in the game?”

“I don’t know. I was fine at the start – pumped, even – but then once we started playing I…” Jim trailed off, waving a hand to fill empty space.

“Do you think it’s because they started scoring a lot?”

Leo was getting to know Jim’s nervous habits. He bit his thumbnail, or fiddled with clothing, or scratched an arm or his beard. Right now he was raking his nails along his forearm.

“I guess.”

“So I guess what I’m trying to ask is… who are you mad at?”

“I’m mad at the other team! What kind of question is that?”

“I understand why you’d be angry at them. No one likes losing, but… that happens sometimes. You can’t help that the team lost.”

“I know that! I just… really hate losing.” Jim looked the picture of downtrodden, his shoulders hanging loose and his head bowed. Anything Leo could do to bring him out of his funk, he’d do it.

“Is it always like this?”

“Always like what?”

“Do you always get angry?”

Jim furrowed his brow. “Well… yeah, who wouldn’t?”

“So… what made you angry?”

“What? The – the game, I told you that.”

‘No, I mean … what part of the game made you angry?”

“The losing!”

“But what _part_ of losing made you angry?”

Jim gaped at Leo. “Oh.” He remained quiet for a few moments. Leo kept stroking down his side encouragingly. “I guess… the frustration of it.”

“What was frustrating?”

He stared incredulously at Leo. “Why are you playing armchair psychologist? Isn’t it obvious?”

“I dunno, is it?”

“I – I – I don’t know.” Jim slumped over in defeat.

Leo moved his hand to pat down Jim’s back. “Come on, you can tell me.”

“I guess I was frustrated that I couldn’t do anything about it.”

“Was there somethin’ else behind that frustration?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, my papa always told me ‘anger is a secondary emotion.’ If you’re angry, it’s another feelin’ that made you angry.”

Jim took a deep breath and let it escape from his lips in a noisy rush. “I guess I’m… disappointed.”

Leo turned to fully face Jim. “That the team lost?”

“Disappointed in me.”

“Why disappointed in you?”

Jim helplessly shrugged. “Pike is – Chris is like a father to me. I just… wanna make him proud of me. I can’t do that if I’m losing games all the time.”

“The team has to win rugby games to make him proud of you?”

“But that’s what he does, he makes rugby players. If I’m not good enough for that, then what am I good for?”

“Oh Jim, don’t think that way.”

“No, don’t. I’m – I wasn’t good enough. I’m not good enough for Chris…” he murmured.

Loathe to find out exactly how bad it’d get if he let it continue, he had to figure out how to derail Jim’s mood. It seemed to worsen by the minute. Poor Jim had probably always dealt with this alone.

Jim turned away from Leo and continued in a shaky voice. “I’m not even good enough for my own mother, I mean – why is she never here? She’s _never_ here.” Jim sounded more and more distraught with every word that fell from his lips. “I basically raised myself because Frank is such a _shithead._ ”

Leo tried to reach for Jim’s shoulder, but he pulled away to make a gap between them that may as well have been a gorge. He looked to be on the verge of tears. After an ugly sniff, his voice deathly quiet and wet.

“If I’m not even good enough for my only living parent, why would I be good enough for someone like you?”

Leo felt gutted. How Jim could ever think he didn’t deserve the care of someone, Leo wasn’t sure, but he did know that such an amazing person didn’t deserve to feel such grief. “No, Jim, don’t – please don’t say that.” He could barely choke out the words, his chest hurt so bad. He reached forward to grab Jim’s shoulders and gently spun him to face him. “Please don’t say that.”

Jim let him move him until their eyes were locked; they looked ready spill over. “Huh?”

“Just—” Words weren’t coming to him; instead he wrapped Jim in a tight hug and buried his face in his neck.

“Leo?”

“Don’t ever say that you aren’t good enough, because you are. You _are_ good enough.”

“But I—”

“The _team_ lost a game. It wasn’t you, okay?”

“But how can I be a good boyfriend if I—”

“Just – just listen for a bit, okay?”

Jim slumped over a bit, bringing Leo with him. He patted Leo’s back and murmured, “Okay.”

Leo pulled away and looked Jim in the eyes. “I know how it feels to feel like you’re not good enough. Lord knows it went through my head a lot over the years. And I—”

Leo paused and Jim stared expectantly, though Leo was at a loss for words.

“I – I really don’ think Chris would agree with you, that you gotta win to be good enough for him.”

Jim let out a loud sigh and looked away in thought. “Yeah… that really doesn’t sound like him.”

“R-right. I don’t know him half as well as you do, an’ that doesn’t – that doesn’t sound like him at all.”

“You’re right, I guess that was sort of… my own idea.”

Leo lay a hand on Jim’s shoulder and squeezed. “An’ bein’ good enough for yer mom or not doesn’t have any bearing on whether you’re a good boyfriend or not, an’ you _are_ a good boyfriend. You’re a great boyfriend,” Leo said, catching himself before he rambled any longer.

Jim smiled wide, his eyes twinkling. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Leo closed the gap between them and cupped Jim’s cheeks to give him a soft, lingering kiss. When he pulled away he stroked Jim’s jaw and scooted forward. “I know you’re feelin’ down, jus’… let me try to help, okay?”

“I mean… you already are,” Jim said with a tiny smile.

“I gotta be honest, I don’ really know what to say, but… I could at least try to distract you, I guess?”

“Okay… what did you have in mind?”

“Well,” Leo began, even though he had nothing. “I guess, I could… uh…” He closed the gap between them and gave Jim another, slightly harder kiss.

“Oh, okay.”

Leo wrapped around Jim, then pushed him on his back and lay on top of him, keeping as much of them pressed together as he could. He drew away for but a moment to say “You are a good boyfriend,” and kissed Jim with light presses of lips. Jim melted into it, and Leo braced himself above Jim, inches from his face. He palmed Jim’s body wherever he could until Jim guided him off to remove Leo’s shirt. Once Leo was free, he grabbed and pulled off Jim’s shirt, then started on his pants. Maybe it’d be hard to focus on being sad if he had a naked man on him.

After he had Jim bare naked, Leo lay down on him again and with barely an inch between them, moved down Jim’s body to kiss his neck and chest, pressing kisses all over his pecs. He ran a hand through the chest hair, lightly dragging his fingertips over him. “Just… sit back and try not to think about it, alright?”

Jim nodded hesitantly, stroking his hands down Leo’s back as Leo trailed his lips over Jim’s chest, kissing anywhere he could and gently rubbing with his free hand. Leo felt him hardening under him and focused his attention on Jim’s arm, kissing his shoulder before trailing his fingers down the thick veins of his bicep. Remembering what Jim had done to get him to be more comfortable in his skin, Leo pressed sweet kisses to Jim’s bicep. He reared back and straddled Jim’s lap, letting their dicks rest together, and pulled his hand up to kiss his fingertips and knuckles.

“What can I do to help you?” Leo implored.

“Um… what you’re doing is good.”

“Then jus’ sit back and relax.”

He splayed Jim’s palm out against his cheek and nuzzled into it, dragging it across his beard. Jim’s fingers curled around the back of his neck and gently squeezed. Leo gently palmed his boyfriend’s belly, running his fingers through Jim’s golden treasure trail and over the dips of muscle as he gazed into Jim’s eyes.

“You’re a great boyfriend,” he said. “And you’re a great rugby player, too.”

Jim opened his mouth to protest, but apparently thought better of it, because he closed it again.

“I know you probably don’t believe me but it’s true. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, Jim, and it’s not your fault either.”

Jim sighed, but it came out as more of a whimper. Leo cupped his jaw and thumbed his scruffy cheeks.

“You’re amazing,” he murmured. He leaned in for a soft, chaste kiss. A warm stream of water hit his thumbs and he pulled away to see a few tears had leaked from Jim’s eyes. “Oh Jim…”

Jim brought an arm up to shield his face from Leo. “I don’t – I don’t—” he said with a quiet sob.

“You don’t have to hide it from me,” Leo said, gingerly gripping Jim’s arm and pulling it away. “I’m here for you, whatever you need.”

“Okay,” he whispered, nodding almost imperceptibly as his lip quivered.

Leo dared not shush Jim, although he shed no more tears. He kissed and petted Jim’s forehead until he calmed down and his beautiful eyes weren’t so heartbreakingly rimmed with red.

“Will you… say nice things again?” Jim asked meekly.

Leo smiled and kissed his blushing cheek. “I still think you’re amazing,” he drawled. He pressed one of Jim’s hands against his heart, where Jim thumbed tenderly at his sternum. “You mean a lot to me, I hope you know that.”

Jim nodded and bit his lip. Leo ran his hands through the gorgeous golden hair coating Jim’s body again.

“I don’t know why she would never be around, but she don’t know who she’s missin.’” Leo brought Jim’s hand up for a few kisses to the palm. “She might be your mother but she ain’t a mama.”

Jim furrowed his brow for a moment until Leo’s words seemed to process. No matter how much genetics dictated, his mother was no parent.

“Look at the person you’ve become. You’re strong.” Leo leaned in to press a long kiss to Jim’s thick bicep. “Handsome.” He gave a kiss to Jim’s cheek. “Manly. Look at all this beautiful blond hair.”

He glanced up to see Jim watching intently as he ran his fingers through Jim’s fur. Jim still looked a bit worse for wear, but overall better.

“But more than that, you’re kind.” He kissed over Jim’s heart again. “Caring.” Another kiss. “Sensitive.” Another kiss. “And surprisingly romantic.”

When he burrowed his face into Jim’s neck, he felt fingers gently card through his hair.

“Of course you’re good ‘nough, Jim. You’re _more_ than good enough.”

Jim wrapped around him, pulling him in tight. Leo wriggled his arms underneath his boyfriend and held on tight, letting him hug like his life depended on it. His breathing had normalized to something less ragged, and as Leo mouthed at his neck, licking the thick muscle and traveling over to Jim’s mouth, he felt Jim’s hard cock pressing against his. Jim turned Leo to meet his lips in a tender, passionate kiss and actually moaned into it – he was definitely feeling better – and cupped the back of Leo’s head to control it.

Leo let Jim kiss him for as long as he had the motive, which was apparently at least several minutes. It felt slightly too warm in the room, though more from their heated making out than anything else. Their hands wandered everywhere – down Leo’s back, over Jim’s sides, between them, running over sweaty skin and fur, caressing muscle and curve alike.

Leo kissed lower, traveling down Jim’s neck and through his chest hair. Jim kept carding through his curls as Leo reared back to lick his abs. Jim’s cock was hard as a rock and leaking precum on his belly. He moved Jim’s cock out of the way and licked at the puddle of precum to clean him off, and Jim give a slight gasp. He glanced up to see Jim studying him intently as he kissed and licked at his abdomen.

Jim lay thick and heavy, waiting for Leo’s attention, but it was all of Jim he wanted to appreciate. He grabbed Jim’s hand and tenderly kissed his knuckles before licking down his stomach and following the veins that led down to his crotch. Jim bit his lip in anticipation when Leo kissed his thighs and nuzzled his crotch.

“Don’t ever think you’re not good enough,” he whispered, then licked a stripe up the underside of his boyfriend’s dick.

Jim shuddered and sat up higher to get a better view as Leo kissed the tip of his dick. Leo braced his weight on Jim’s abs and sucked the tip of his cock between his lips. Though he went slow, he did everything Jim liked and even more, doing everything he could to show Jim he was wanted.

Jim in turn did everything he could to show Leo he was grateful for his affections, softly whispering to him and caressing down his neck.

Leo dragged it out as long as he could, but within minutes Jim tensed up and gripped his hand. When he came, he came with a soft moan, filling Leo’s mouth with his load, only for Leo to greedily swallow his cum and suck out the last few drops.

When Jim softened, Leo kissed his boyfriend’s pelvic crest, but Jim brought him up to trade kisses.

“What do you want, Leo?”

Leo pulled away and locked eyes with him. “For you to feel better.” Jim wrapped him in his arms and squeezed him tight. “Just let me hold you, Jim.”

“Okay.”

After cuddling and petting for ages, Jim’s hand stilled. Leo thought he may have fallen asleep, so Leo spoke up again. “How’re you feelin’?”

“Um… mostly better, I think.”

Not asleep. “Tell me about it?”

Jim shook his head as he kept stroking Leo’s back. “There really isn’t much to tell, I’ll be fine. Thank you.” He gave Leo a kiss and smiled.

“What would you have done if I hadn’t been here?”

Jim scratched his head in thought. “Usually I sulk. Sometimes I angrily did chores. I often went on a workout binge.”

“Workout binge?”

“Like go to the gym more often, work harder, longer.”

“That doesn’t sound good for you.”

Jim looked pointedly at him. “That’s because it’s not. One year we lost state championships. I gained two inches on my biceps and three on my thighs and chest before school started again that year.”

Leo gaped at him. Is that why Jim had built himself up so much? Because he thought he’d failed? “Well, you have a doting boyfriend to talk to about your feelings now, so we’ll have no hurtin’ yourself at the gym.”

Jim wrapped his arms and legs around him, like a starfish hugging a rock. All Leo could do was rest his arms around Jim’s back. “I love how you let your accent out so much more around me.”

“I do not,” Leo protested. He tried to wriggle out from Jim’s hold to no avail – when Jim wanted to cuddle, he got to cuddle.

“You so do!” Jim exclaimed. He rolled them so he was on top, then leaned in to lightly kiss Leo, barely even a peck of lips.

Leo was helpless to resist Jim’s affections when buried under him. He still had a good forty pounds on Leo. At least he kissed more fervently now; his tongue made a valiant attempt to dance with Leo’s.

Then, Jim released his death grip and shifted to kiss down Leo’s chest. Leo hummed and asked, “what are you doin’?”

Jim licked his way down Leo’s tummy until he reached his cock. “Sayin’ thank you.”

“Wait, I didn’t do that to get somethin’ in return!” Then Jim sucked Leo’s dick between his lips and Leo’s mind went blank.

He sighed as Jim languidly bobbed his head down Leo’s length – tongue earnestly laving over every inch – occasionally pulling off to kiss it. He lay a hand on Leo to rub his abdomen in slow circles, stroking up and down his treasure trail. Jim was getting better at taking him deep – he could almost take Leo all the way to the base of his cock. He pulled off, then opened wide and closed around him, trying desperately to deep throat Leo.

Leo cradled Jim’s head in his hands, petting as softly as he could while he trembled from the sheer pleasure of Jim servicing him. “Oh Jim,” he moaned. Jim hummed around him. “You are so amazing,” he murmured.

Jim had nearly succeeded in taking Leo all the way to the back of his throat when Leo’s cock throbbed and shot hot spurts over Jim’s tongue. Jim sucked harder as the pulses of pleasure tapered off, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.

It always filled Leo with a deep and inexplicable satisfaction to see Jim swallow him down.

He lay back on the sheets, drained and lax. Jim kissed his way back up his body until he reached Leo’s forehead. When he curled around Leo again, he buried them under a blanket and nestled Leo’s face against his chest.

Totally content to burrow into his boyfriend, Leo smiled dopily and rubbed his cheek against Jim’s soft fur. When Jim spoke, his voice rumbled in his chest.

“I guess it is kind of silly to say I’m a bad boyfriend if I don’t win a—”

“If _the team_ doesn’t win,” Leo interjected.

“Right, right, if the team doesn’t win a game. I’m not the only one playing.” Jim ran a hand down Leo’s back. “Yeah, I guess – guess I just – I don’t know.”

“You don’ have to prove anything to me. Jus’ remember that,” Leo said in a low voice.

Jim squeezed him closer, and Leo happily let him. He drifted off to sleep to the smell of sandalwood and sweat and the warm embrace of his best friend and boyfriend.

But, what was that about his ‘only living parent’?


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See the end of this chapter for a new tag. Please note this tag is a spoiler.

With the ACT exams coming up that following Wednesday, all personal time other than the occasional blowjob between studying came to a screeching halt. They spent the vast majority of their time studying, cramming, or doing practice exams.

By the time Wednesday arrived, Leo felt like he may never learn another thing again with how much information he crammed in.

He had utmost confidence it paid off in the end, though; when he and Jim left homeroom together, he had little doubt he’d be in the top few percent.

With no school on Thursday, Jim took the opportunity to get some much-needed chores done, leaving Leo to his books and classical music.

 

* * *

 

On Friday, Leo was on his way to the lunch room and had just entered the school courtyard when he heard excited shouting. A ring of students had gathered around one end of the open space, blocking his view. He quickened his pace toward the throng upon hearing the thwack of fist against flesh to see what the commotion was. Fights on campus were uncommon, but not unheard of. He reached the outside of the ring and tried peering around heads, only seeing a flurry of violence in the middle. “Isn’t anyone gonna get a—”

His blood ran cold at the sound of Jim crying out in pain.

“Jim?” he called out, and began pushing his way through the crowd. Students complained about personal space as he worked his way through the crowd until he could finally see the commotion in the center.

Five tough-looking students pushed Jim between them like he was a ragdoll. One of them grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and tossed him toward another, who tried slamming him into the ground face first.

“Jim!”

Everything else ceased to exist as Leo dove into the fray. Jim threw a punch at one only to get a return punch right in the face.

“Don’t you fucking touch him!” Leo threw a fist at the offender’s cheek, knocking his head back. Another grabbed Jim by the front of his shirt and wound up a strike; Leo dove in and took it right to the jaw in a hot flash of pain and a sickening thud.

Another punch to his shoulder as one missed his head. Leo jabbed an elbow behind him, connecting with someone’s face. A punch from the left – Leo blocked it with his forearm only to be struck by another right in the nose. A trickle of blood ran hot over his upper lip. Another blow sent Leo spinning and he hit the ground, only to be picked up again and tossed into Jim.

Once he regained his balance, he threw another at the nearest target. An assailant from behind pushed him into one of the larger bullies, dislodging his backpack and twisting a shoulder. He cried out in pain and nearly fell to the floor. A glance over at Jim only gave him the sight of Jim taking another punch to the gut, and Leo saw red. One of the fighters with a hideous bloody nose approached Jim, and Leo charged to sucker punch him in the side of the head.

Jim gasped and spat blood out, teeth rimmed red. “Leo, please,” he begged, but for what he wasn’t sure. The tallest of the group gripped Leo’s shirt and reeled back when a loud, ear-piercing whistle filled the room. The students gathered around them parted and Chris Pike entered the ring. He took a survey of the combatants and glared. “Principal’s office, all of you, _now._ ”

“Oh god,” Leo croaked.

Some of the attackers crowded around Chris and voiced shoddy excuses and objections. He whistled again, making all of them yelp and cover their ears in pain. “ _Office, now._ ”

Jim knelt on the floor, doubled over in pain. Leo patted him on the shoulder. “Are you okay?” The ferrous taste of blood leaked into his mouth and he had to spit.

Jim didn’t reply, only panted and wheezed.

“Come on,” Leo said, and hooked Jim’s arm over his shoulder. Chris escorted all seven of them to the office, first sending them to the nurse for cleanup while he contacted security to keep the peace. Once cleaned up, each of the five attackers were escorted separately by different members of administration.

Twenty minutes later, Jim and Leo were sitting across from the head of security, Mr. Reed. He started by taking their names and student numbers and now had his laptop ready.

“So I want to hear your account of it. Can you start from the top?”

“Um… okay.” Jim shifted in his seat and looked down at the floor. “I was on my way to lunch and I had – I had a note for, um – I had a note for Leo.” He tilted his head toward Leo and Reed nodded, tapping away at his computer. “I was gonna slip it in his locker—”

“What did the note say?”

Jim stayed silent for a beat, glancing over at Leo, eyes wide and pleading for advice. Leo just shrugged. “That’s – that’s personal, sir.”

“Just call me Malcolm, and that’s okay. So what happened next?”

“Well, as I was trying to slip it in his locker, someone grabbed it out of my hand and read it and tore it up.”

A deathly chill spread through Leo’s gut and he lay a hand on Jim’s knee, giving a gentle squeeze.

Malcolm finished typing. “Okay, go on?”

“He said – he said, ‘we can smell you fagging up the school from clear across campus.’”

Leo slid his hand over Jim’s and gripped him tight.

The man sitting across from them looked up directly at Jim, appraising him for something. He stared for a moment, then returned his gaze to his laptop. He typed for a bit, then cleared his throat. “Okay, I’m gonna need some more information about that. Do you know any of these individuals?”

“I knew one of them. Johnny Derringer. Never cared for him.”

“What happened after he said that?”

“They started heckling me, calling me names.”

“Names like what?”

“’Faggot,’ ‘queer,’ ‘cocksucker.’”

Leo bit his lip and blinked back tears. To even imagine Jim being bullied because of who he is was difficult enough, but the fact that it had actually happened… looking at the bruises forming, bandages on his beautiful face, and seeing crusted blood on his lip felt like a knife to the gut.

“Jesus,” Malcolm muttered. He typed some more. “And then?”

“They started pushing me around, grabbed my backpack and tossed it on the ground. Kicked it across the courtyard. Did someone get that for me?”

“Yeah, one of the security guys has it. Go on?”

“Um… they started pushing me into lockers, going on about how I don’t have a place at this school. Someone elbowed me hard in the gut and I threw a punch at him and… then everything was just a blur. Then Leo showed up and then Pike showed up and…” Jim gestured toward empty space, trailing off into silence.

“Okay. I have to ask a couple more questions.”

Leo wanted nothing more than to interject and say Jim had had enough for one day.

“Why do you think they did this?”

Jim fidgeted in his seat. “Uh… which part?” As private a thing as being gay was, now wasn’t a good time to be evasive. Leo clutched his hand, not knowing what else he could do.

“The ‘everything’ part.”

Jim snorted nervously. “Um… probably because I…”

“Yes?” he prompted.

“Probably because I’m gay,” he murmured, gaze falling toward the floor in defeat.

“And you? Why did you get involved?” He looked straight at Leo, an eyebrow raised. Leo lifted their hands and laid them on his desk, Jim’s fingers still twined with his. “Oh. I see. Well, I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but… the school has a zero-tolerance policy for—” Leo’s chest clenched in terror. “—hate crimes, so—”

“ _Hate crime?_ ” he asked, incredulous.

“Yes, from how it sounds, the students that attacked you and Mr. Kirk were committing a hate crime in doing so.”

Leo felt ill – did that mean they’d be imprisoned? Should he feel guilty at the prospect of them being imprisoned? He certainly didn’t feel guilty.

Malcolm’s computer made a strange noise and he typed away at it for a few moments, then sighed. “Well boys, I shouldn’t tell you this either, but from the paperwork I just got sent, it looks like the others are going to be expelled.”

Leo breathed a sigh of relief. Jim slumped over a bit from the tension leaving his body, but he gripped Leo’s hand tighter.

“This part you won’t like. When altercations like this happen, it’s standard school policy to suspend all individuals involved and—”

“But we didn’t—”

“Hold on! I’m sorry, boys, but because you fought back, the minimum suspension is one day.”

“But I – but…” Leo sputtered. He had a perfectly clean academic record – the thought of it being tarnished by even a day of suspension made him feel like vomiting.

“It’ll be okay, Leo,” Jim murmured. He drew a few slow circles with his thumb against Leo’s. “It’s a self-defense suspension.”

“Self-defense suspensions won’t affect your academic career, it’s more a formality than anything.”

“But I – we – okay.” He deflated, slouching in his chair.

“The other bad news is I’m gonna have to give your parents a call.”

Leo started straight up in his chair and yelled “No!”

Jim winced and scratched his temple. “Uh… which one?”

“Let’s see, Mr. Kirk… Winona Kirk?”

Jim let out a sigh of relief. “That’s the one.”

Malcolm raised an eyebrow in questioning. “And Mr. McCoy, I’ll have to be calling yours, too.”

“But he—”

Malcolm smiled gently. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to tell them it’s just a formality.”

“I – alright. Okay.”

“Now, unfortunately I have to send you two home early. The suspension is effective immediately and it only counts full days that you’re here, so you’re not allowed on campus until Tuesday.”

Leo nodded dumbly, feeling like he was in a haze. He’d been suspended; his father would know he was _suspended._ “Tuesday… right.”

“Oh no…” Jim groaned.

“What?”

“I can’t play in tomorrow’s game if I’m suspended!” He slumped back into his chair and lay an arm over his eyes, groaning in frustration.

“Well the backup captain is pretty good…”

Jim wasn’t appeased at all. “Argh, the team is gonna lose again.”

Leo looked at his boyfriend’s dejected form and inwardly sighed. “It’ll be alright, Jim. It’s just one game.”

Jim huffed out an annoyed breath. “Yeah… I guess you’re right.”

“One last thing.” Leo looked at Malcolm again. “If you suspect something like this may happen again, let us know. We want to protect minority students like yourselves to the best of our ability.”

Leo had never thought of himself as a minority, but he supposed it made sense. “Yes, sir.”

“Alright, boys, I’m gonna have security return your belongings to you and you’ll be escorted back to your car if you have one, or we can call your parents.”

“We carpooled today.”

“Perfect.”

 

* * *

 

Once in Jim’s car, the security officer waved them off and Jim pulled out of the parking lot. They sat in uncomfortable silence. Leo watched buildings pass by on the route to his house.

“Why did you do it?” Jim croaked. Leo started at the sudden interjection and glanced at Jim. He stared ahead at the road, not sparing him a look.

“Do what?”

“Why did you jump in? I was fine.”

Leo gaped. “Fine? You were _fine?_ ”

“Yes, I was fine! I can handle myself—”

“In a five-to-one brawl?”

Jim’s knuckles whitened against the steering wheel, his jaw tense enough that Leo could see the tendons flexing. “I – you—”

“What did you expect me to do, just sit there and watch you get beat on until Pike showed up?”

“Yes!” Jim looked over and his mouth dropped in horror. “ _No!_ I don’t mean that.”

“Then what did you _want_ me to do?”

“I don’t – I don’t know!”

Leo growled and threw up his hands. “Then why are you so mad that I did what I did?!”

“Because you got hurt too!” Jim exclaimed, startling Leo with his vehemence.

Leo frowned and let his head rest against the window to watch buildings pass by. If there was anything he truly hated, it was fighting with Jim. Jim was his best friend – arguably his only friend – but he was his boyfriend, too. What was he supposed to do if they didn’t work something out? Who was he supposed to turn to?

“You got hurt too,” Jim murmured. “Why did you do that?”

Leo turned to face his boyfriend and searched his injuries. There was a bruise forming on his cheek and a nasty black eye was making itself known. His lip was still split and a line of dried blood was still easily visible from both of his nostrils.

They reached the suburbs, concrete giving way to wood-paneled housing and prim manicured lawns – Leo’s house was close by, he had to finish this before Jim dropped him off.

“How would you feel if it’d been me? How am I supposed to just… watch you get hurt? I – do you have any idea how – how deeply I care for you? I can’t jus’… sit back on the sidelines and watch some lowlifes beat up someone I love.”

Now that he said it, a brilliant warmth filled Leo’s heart. He thought of how close they’d grown over the last few months. Jim grew to matter so much to him, both as his first close, true friend since moving, and his first boyfriend. Jim had been one of the first people to look past ‘Bones’ and see ‘Leo’ instead. Jim trusted him with his secrets, _and_ his heart. Leo was the first he’d told about his sexuality and his struggle to accept failure. He may have been the first of Jim’s friends he’d told about being incarcerated.

He needed to say it again. He needed to say it a hundred hundred times.

“I love you, Jim. I can’t le—”

A loud sob interrupted him and the car swerved to the side of the road. Once the car had parked, he glanced over to see Jim’s forehead resting against the steering wheel, tears streaming down his flushed cheeks.

“Jim?” His heart in his throat, he reached a hand over to grasp his boyfriend’s shoulder, wondering if he had broken him. “What—”

“Do you mean it?” came as a tiny, broken whisper.

“I – of course I mean it,” he said in a hush tone, trying to soothe Jim’s shuddering sobs with a gentle stroke down his back. “How could I do anything but love you?”

The tears flowed freely after that, Jim squeezing his eyes shut to stay the rush of emotion to no avail. What could have possibly elicited that sort of reaction? Though, if his mom was never around, and Frank being Frank, and Jim’s father probably dead…

Had anyone told him he was loved in recent memory? How long had he gone without hearing those powerful, life-giving words?

An ugly sniff interrupted his stream of thought. “Leo?”

“Yeah?”

Jim reached for Leo’s hand and clasped them together, squeezing tight. He took a shaky breath and rasped, “I love you too.”

Leo had to bite his lip to hold back a whimper from the warmth and happiness that flooded his body. He watched Jim lean on the wheel for a few more moments, inhales still wet and shaking, until he sat up proper and restarted the car.

The car ride to Leo’s house was in quiet contemplation, despite the tears still streaming down Jim’s face and the occasional sniff. Jim didn’t let go of Leo’s hand for even a moment, rubbing a thumb along the meat of his palm. Rather than drop him off and leave, Jim came inside with him. After shutting the door, he spun to walk to his room only to bump into Jim.

“Oh, I—”

Jim cupped his jaw and thumbed at his cheeks with such a soft touch it made Leo’s skin tingle. Blue eyes scanned the bruises forming on his face. Leo had already vowed he’d never get in another fight again – he had a moderate headache from the dull pain of being punched around so much. It had to be much worse for Jim.

“Leo,” he said – quiet, with a reverence he’d never heard from the other man. Jim brought their lips together, mindful of the swelling but desperate and passionate all the same. His tongue swept into Leo’s mouth and though he could taste the vaguest hint of blood, it didn’t matter because this was Jim.

Jim kept them together, mouthing at each other’s lips and jaws like they’d asphyxiate without contact. Leo carded his fingers through Jim’s muss of hair, and Jim’s hand snaked under Leo’s shirt to grip his bare back muscles.

Leo drew away for a breather and found them in his room rather than the foyer – had Jim been walking them there? He didn’t remember anything other than the kiss. Jim reached for the bottom of his shirt and he raised his arms in compliance. Once rid of his shirt, Leo took Jim’s off after his backpack had been dumped by the nightstand and they met again in the middle, kissing just as soft as before. A hand on his hip brought their groins together – he felt Jim’s erection against his own, begging release from his pants like a caged animal.

“Bed?” Leo asked.

Jim nodded and worked on Leo’s belt and pants until they sat in a heap around his feet, underwear taken with them. He sat Leo on the bed and attempted to strip his own pants with so much haste he fumbled and had to slow down.

Once he’d freed his cock, Leo’s mouth began to water, but Jim knelt between his legs and locked eyes with him. Jim looked at him intently, his beautiful cerulean irises filled with awe and admiration – it knocked the air right out of Leo’s lungs. He could see how much Jim cherished him just by the shine of his eyes in Leo’s dimly lit bedroom.

“Leo,” he whispered, then he leaned in to nuzzle at his chest hair, pressing a soft kiss over his heart. Leo felt he may burst into tears from Jim’s tender touch. He grabbed Leo’s cock and stroked so loose he could barely feel it, but his breath shuddered anyway. “I love you Leo,” Jim said, then drew Leo’s dick between his lips, wetting his entire length with his tongue before setting a languid pace of light sucking.

Getting a blowjob normally felt fantastic – getting one knowing it was from someone who loved him amplified the pleasure fivefold. The passionate energy between them made every drag of Jim’s lips and tongue over his cock feel like fire sizzling just below the surface. Leo rested his hands on Jim, one on his shoulder to brace him, the other petting his head as soft and tender as he could muster.

All of Jim’s work paid off – he finally took Leo’s entire cock into his mouth, the back of his throat confining the crown of Leo’s cock and his lips tickling the hilt. Leo huffed out a noisy breath from the sheer pleasure and the incredible sight of his lover sucking every inch of his dick. A sudden convulsion around his manhood made Leo shudder and grip Jim’s blond locks – Jim had swallowed around him. His fervent licking and mouthing at his shaft brought Leo closer to the edge than he’d desired. He pawed at Jim’s shoulder and choked out “off.”

Jim pulled off him, lips pursed around the head of his cock as he drew away, giving him one last iota of blessed stimulation. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, I wanna – sit down, okay?”

After swapping places, Leo kissed down the trail of fur along Jim’s midriff. An awful bruise lay where one of the bullies had punched him in the gut. In a shamelessly possessive gesture he leaned in and pressed kiss after kiss to the tender muscle, Jim’s hand massaging the back of his neck as he did so.

“What are you doin’?”

“Making it so I’m the last one who touched you.”

Leo kissed every inch of Jim’s belly, soft hair tickling his lips. All he wanted was to show Jim he loved him. He trailed a finger over the impact site of the fist and he glanced up at Jim. “Does it hurt?”

“A little bit,” Jim replied.

Leo frowned and avoided thinking of the fight. Jim was here now, safe and sound. He gave a wet kiss to the tip of Jim’s cock and braced himself on either side of his hips, but he cried out in pain when a searing hot pain shot through his left shoulder.

“Leo? What happened?”

“I’m fine I – I just twisted my shoulder during the fight.”

“I’ll be gentle,” Jim promised. He smiled, a bashful grin for Leo, dimples showing.

“God, I love you,” Leo said under his breath, then leaned in to lick at the crease between Jim’s thigh and crotch. He kissed up the length of his dick before drawing it between his lips and licking into the slit for precum. Jim cupped the back of his head and guided Leo down onto his length, gentle and careful. Normally Leo did it to pleasure Jim anyway, but the fight made him realize how fragile they were; now he put every ounce of passion he could into the act, sucking slowly and playing with Jim’s balls, careful to attend to Jim’s every huff of breath and jolt of pleasure.

Jim took his left hand and caressed the back as Leo took him as deep as he could without choking. “Leo,” he whispered, gazing down at him with soft eyes that spoke volumes of his feelings for him.

Jim loved when Leo dragged his lips along the head of his cock; he mouthed at the tip until Jim panted. He took Jim deep again and laved his tongue along his shaft, tasting spit and sweat and _Jim_ until he throbbed between his lips. Jim gasped for breath, mouth wide open in ecstasy, as he watched his cock throb and shoot cum to the back of Leo’s throat. Leo swallowed with every spurt, making Jim twitch and grasp his hand tighter.

“Oh god,” he moaned when Leo lapped up the last of his load. Once he calmed down from his high, he took Leo’s face in hands and brought him in for a gentle kiss. His eyes wandered over Leo’s face, cataloging bruises and lesions and pressing kissed to each one. “Leo?”

“Darlin’?”

“Make love to me.”

Leo paused and looked quizzically at Jim. What did that mean? Weren’t they doing that? Could he get any more tender than he was?

“But I – we are, aren’t we?”

“I mean – uh – would you—”

“Words, dear.”

Jim blushed a furious red and he bit his lip. “I want you inside me.”

“I – is that—” Leo’s face heated up from a mixture of embarrassment and desire. How exactly did that work? But then Jim petted his shoulder and gave him a gentle smile and Leo made up his mind. “Anything for you, Jim,” he whispered.

Jim grinned, sunny and sheepish, and kissed Leo on the forehead. “I’m gonna go uh… get ready for you, okay?”

“Um, alright.”

Jim pressed another tender kiss to Leo’s lips, drew away slowly, then walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

Leo could only hear running water.

Whatever Jim was doing, it took a while. He kept thinking as he sat on his bed about what Jim had asked him to do. Wouldn’t it hurt? Would it feel good? If not, what was the point? There had to be a point if he wanted it. Leo loved sucking each other off, but he could be open to new things.

On the other hand, Jim wanted him – _all_ of him. How could Leo say no to that?

Jim took so long in the bathroom that Leo’s mind started to wander before the door opened without warning and Jim strode out, looking sheepish and a little damp.

“I’m, uh… done!” he said, blushing bright.

“So… what now?”

“Well… I – why don’t we just…” Jim sat down next to Leo and brought him in for a kiss.

Leo was absolutely down for more kissing.

Jim caressed and petted as they languidly kissed. When he reached in to give Jim’s cock a stroke, Jim instead drew away and dug around in his open backpack – he’d nearly forgotten what Jim had asked of him.

“Where is it… it’s gotta be – dammit, I can’t find it.” Jim sagged, though he pulled out a bottle of transparent liquid. “Well, this isn’t… the ideal type for this, but I can’t find the other one.”

“What’s the other one?”

“It’s silicone-based. I guess we just… use this one.”

“Do you – do you wanna use a condom?”

Jim kissed him light and chaste, trailing a hand along his beard in a tender caress. “I just want you. All of you.” Another soft kiss. “Is that okay?”

Leo nodded and bit his lip. His heart raced at the thought of actually… penetrating Jim.

“Remember, we don’t have to use them.”

Well, he was right about that – there really was no reason to use a condom. They were both free to be completely intimate without latex between them.

Jim lay back on the bed and popped open the tube of lube. “Can you prep me?”

Leo glanced back and forth between the lube and Jim’s ass presented to him. “Uh… uhhh… I don’t know how.?”

“I – I can try to show you how, but…” Jim slathered his fingers in lube and pulled his legs back. “Help me with this?”

Leo held Jim’s leg out of the way, petting his thigh while Jim circled his hole with wet fingers. He teased himself, trying to relax into the light touch against his entrance, leaving Leo helpless to do anything but watch. He grimaced a bit when he pressed a finger in, and all Leo could think of was his cock sliding into Jim’s wet heat. A sudden bout of dizziness hit him just watching Jim prepare himself for Leo. Jim really wanted Leo inside him?

Jim seemed to be enjoying fingering himself – he huffed out a breath when he added a second finger, and just watching Jim’s fingers slide in threatened to make Leo cum then and there. “I dunno when – ngh – I’ll be ready,” he mumbled, gasping when he crooked his fingers to press at a particular spot inside him. He added a third finger for good measure, doing his best to slick himself up. “I think I’m good?”

“Uh… um, what now?”

Jim handed the lube to Leo and held his legs out of the way, showing off muscular ass and sculpted hamstrings. “Lube yourself up and then um… push in me.”

The bright red tinging Jim’s cheeks alongside the ugly bruises was a telling sign to how embarrassed he was. Leo squirted some slippery lube on his fingers, but spreading it just made a huge mess; it dripped all over the sheets and his leg.

Once his cock was slicked up, Leo held one of Jim’s legs out of the way and pressed the head of his dick against Jim’s hole. When he rubbed it back and forth the spark of pleasure he felt tore a huff of breath from him, and his eyes slammed shut. He let out a breath through pursed lips and kissed Jim’s calf hooked over his shoulder. “Are you ready?”

“I hope.”

Thinking about his cock disappearing inside his boyfriend was erotic enough; actually watching it nearly dragged his orgasm out before he even got the crown inside him. Jim bit his lip and cringed as Leo’s tip pushed in. Leo rested a palm on Jim’s belly and rubbed in small circles, trying to get him to relax, but Jim whined once the head of his cock slipped past the ring of muscle.

“Ow, ow,” he said.

“Jim? What’s wrong?”

“Not enough lube,” he said through gritted teeth. Leo pulled out as slow and careful as he could, and Jim laced their fingers together. Jim sighed once Leo wasn’t inside him. “I’m no good at it, can you do it?”

“Uh…” Leo picked up the tube again and Jim hooked his arms behind his knees, giving Leo an amazing view of everything from his ball sack to his patiently waiting hole to every inch of his hairy butt. “Are you sure this is… the right kind of lube? It’s really thin.”

“No, I – I bought two kinds and I can’t find the other one.”

“What’s the difference?”

“The other one doesn’t dry out as much or something, and it’s better for… uh, this.”

Leo spread it over his fingers anyway, starting and stopping perhaps a dozen times (in his mind) before slipping a finger inside. The one finger went in easily – Jim did a pretty good job on his own – so Leo added a second. Jim kept looking deep into his eyes as Leo spread him open, making Leo feel like a spotlight was shining bright on his face. The scrutiny only made his cheeks burn as he did his best to spread his boyfriend open.

“Use a lot.”

In trying to get a good angle, Leo cupped a cheek of Jim’s butt – it was the perfect blend of supple, firm, and muscled. Working his slick fingers made Jim pant and let out little whines.

“God, that’s amazing.”

The mortification eventually bled away, and as he slipped his fingers in and out of Jim, lubing him up, he imagined sinking deep into him.

“I think I’m ready.”

Leo coated his shaft in more lube for good measure. “Tell me if I’m hurting you.”

“I will.”

He lined himself up with Jim’s entrance and slowly pushed in, watching the head slip inside the other man. Leo had to bite back a groan from the raw sensation of Jim sheathing his cock. It was hot enough watching his manhood disappear inside Jim – it was even hotter the second time. He glanced up to lock eyes with Jim, exhaling through pursed lips, trying to relax. Leo laid a hand on Jim’s belly again and they laced fingers together.

“Does it hurt?”

“A bit, but don’t stop.”

He was over halfway inside Jim now – he couldn’t believe they’re actually doing this.

“God, your cock is so thick,” Jim huffed out. A sudden clench around Leo sent a jolt of pleasure up his spine.

“Hoo, Jesus, you okay?”

“Yeah, that – holy shit, that felt amazing.”

Inch by inch, Leo pushed in, slow and steady into Jim’s welcoming ass until he finally seated himself as deep as he could go. Just the feeling of being surrounded by his lover’s warmth and tightness made Leo pant. Jim’s legs had relaxed enough that they lay on either side of him, leaving Leo enough space to wrap around him, bodies nearly flush together. Jim brought their lips together and devoured his in a hungry kiss, robbing Leo of air.

Leo pulled away and looked Jim in the eyes. “Is this good?”

“Just – just hold me, I need a few moments.”

Leo obliged as best he could, hugging Jim even with his bad shoulder. They kissed slow and passionate, tongues tangling lazily together. Leo moaned into the kiss without shame, and Jim cupped the back of his head, carding through his hair, soft and tender. When Leo pulled away to look Jim in the eyes again, Jim looked up at him with such a deep adoration in his blue, shining eyes that Leo couldn’t help but whisper “I love you.” He trailed his fingers along the awful bruises showing up on Jim’s face and pressed kiss after kiss to all of them.

“Hey, I’m okay.”

Leo released a breath and bit his lip. “I know, I just—”

Jim caressed his face and kissed his forehead. “I know.”

“I love you,” Leo repeated. No matter how many times he said it, it wasn’t enough.

Jim peppered Leo’s face with soft kisses. “I’m okay,” he said again. “I think I’m ready if you are?”

“Um, do I just…” Leo tilted his hips, pulling his cock out a few inches, the friction of Jim around him, lubed as he may be, made him gasp.

“God, _yes,_ that.”

Leo thrust back in and heaved out a breath. Blow jobs were one thing – this was entirely different. Jim was tight, his hole clenching around Leo only making it even more intense.

“Go slow, I – I wanna be with you for a while.”

“You have me for as long as you want.”

He set a slow tempo, thrusting in and out of Jim every few beats as they stroked each other, lavishing anywhere they could with touches or kisses. Leo felt a profound need to show Jim just how much he cared for him. He loved every inch of the man under him and everything deep in his heart that he had to offer. Everything, from lightly tanned skin and muscle to golden fur and gorgeous eyes. From zit and mole and freckle, Crow's Feet and crooked grin. Caring heart and sonorous laugh, dorky joke and startling intellect. Every imperfection was another reason to love Jim – Leo softly, tenderly kissed every inch of bicep, shoulder, and pec.

A light tug on his hair brought Leo up to lock eyes with Jim. “You feel amazing,” Jim mumbled. His head fell back against the pillow, baring muscular neck for Leo. Leo couldn’t help but glue his lips to the expanse of skin, mouthing at his Adam’s apple and anywhere else he could get. Some primal urge in him was sated knowing that Jim trusted him enough to let him near his throat.

Leo stuttered, his pace erratic from the overwhelming pleasure of Jim’s tight heat around him. “I’m getting close,” he panted.

Jim gazed into his eyes and cupped his jaw. “Stay in me,” he murmured. It sounded like a plea.

“Anything.”

Leo returned to kissing Jim’s neck, trailing down over his chest to lick at the fur coating his boyfriend. Curious hands wandered down his back, then cupped his ass, pushing him deeper with every slow thrust. Lips collided again and Leo clawed for the lube at the side, somehow opening it with one hand. He tried to pour it on Jim’s dick blind, their lips still locked together, but Jim moaned and pulled away to glance down. Leo had spilled lube on Jim’s belly.

He paused for a moment to glance down, only to see Jim’s length resting hot, heavy, and neglected against his abs, leaking precum into his treasure trail. He scooped up what he could of the lube and coated Jim in it. A bit more from the tube, and he curled his fingers around Jim to slowly stroke.

Jim cradled Leo’s head, wet eyes staring up at him. “God, Leo I – I love you so much,” he whispered.

The pure joy that filled Leo to the brim threatened to rob him of oxygen. He met Jim’s lips and twisted his cock. Without warning, after a few strokes Jim contracted around him, heaving out breath and then warm cum shot between their bellies.

Jim pulsing around him and the stick of jizz on his abdomen overwhelmed Leo and he tumbled over the precipice of pleasure. His orgasm pooled deep in his gut and he throbbed hard inside Jim, filling him with cum. He thrust in short bursts, desperate for one last shot of pleasure as Jim’s hole fluttered around him, milking Leo for every drop of semen he had to give.

Jim whined into his mouth and then fell silent, mouthing at Leo’s lips and pulling him into a tight embrace. Leo let his weight collapse on top of Jim, breathing heavily for a few moments. He combed fingers through Jim’s golden hair as they came down from the heights of ecstasy. They both panted out hot breaths and kissed wherever they could, soft touches of lips against hot skin slick with sweat.

Jim brought him closer to give kisses to his dearly beloved Leo, and Leo braced his weight on his elbows, despite his bad shoulder’s protests.

“You’re everything,” Leo whispered, looking into Jim’s cerulean eyes.

“Everything?”

“My best friend, my boyfriend, my – my lover,” he murmured, caressing Jim’s cheek.

Leo had never shared such a strong bond with anyone in his life, and making love had only heightened it. He’d followed Jim to play rugby to see a handsome man play and found a companion. He’d poured out his heart to Jim and found a confidante. He’d surrendered his body to Jim and found a gentle partner to share intimacy and pleasure.

Likewise, Jim had bared some dark secrets to him. Buried in the chest of this boy who had to grow up before his time, who put on a facade for everyone, beat the heart of a broken man still whole enough to love with startling ferocity.

Jim held back a whimper, moisture collecting at the corners of his eyes. “You’re my everything.”

Leo lay himself back down on Jim, turning his head so they could see each other. The stick of Jim’s cum glued their bellies together and the warmth of Jim around his soft dick still buried deep reminded Leo of the sex they just had, but nothing about it felt like sex.

It felt like finding the missing piece of the puzzle, the perfect line for a poem, a missing toy from his childhood. He felt like he’d bonded irrevocably with the man underneath him stroking his back and pressing kisses to his cheek, but bonding didn’t seem like the right word.

It felt like coming home.

He lay a hand on Jim’s face, covering one of the bruises. It was still there, marring his handsome face, but for now it didn’t matter. While he hoped a single look could share with Jim everything he felt, he knew it was absurd to think that.

With the grasp of sleep threatening to pull him under, he pulled out of Jim after however many minutes they had spent silently kissing and petting. Jim pulled him back down onto him and tightly curled his arms around him.

“You’re my everything, Leo.”

 

* * *

 

No matter how many times Jim woke him with tender kisses it’d never get old.

Leo still lay on top of him between Jim’s arms, and his best friend pressed ever so light touches of lips to his face.

Leo turned into the soft presses to meet Jim’s lips, giving a sleepy moan as Jim cupped his head to deepen it. Leo had no idea what time it was – he didn’t _care_ what time it was. All he cared about was the warm lips devouring his and the muscular arm holding their bodies together. The cum stuck between them wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, though. Leo pulled away and covered Jim’s face in kisses. Poor Jim had bruises practically everywhere. His nose was swollen and red, an eye had blackened, there was a big blotch of purple on his cheekbone and jaw – but he was safe. He was safe, loved, and everything was okay now.

“We should shower,” Jim said. Leo chuckled and met his lips again.

“Probably.”

They peeled away from each other and Leo led Jim to the bathroom, hands linked behind him. Water, towels, and bathrobes prepared, they stepped in and Leo sighed as the warm water poured over him. Jim set his back against the water – he certainly needed it, there were even bruises on his back – and Leo started soaping him up. He washed Jim’s pecs and underarms, belly and crotch, earning a few twitches from Jim as he slicked up his cock. Jim stroked down his biceps, a light touch that sent tendrils of warmth through Leo’s body. When Jim rinsed off, he turned Leo against the water and lathered him up. Leo interrupted the cleansing with a kiss, then grabbed Jim’s hips as he sluiced away the sweat from the fight and their sex.

When Leo was clean, Jim maneuvered him to lean against the wall. “Just relax, okay?”

“Huh?”

Jim dropped to his knees in front of Leo – the porcelain probably hurt, maybe he sh—

Jim drew Leo’s cock between his lips, sucking light and pulling off with a pop, only to lick at the tip.

“Jim your knees—”

“Shh,” Jim said, rubbing a palm up Leo’s thigh and thumbing at the crease between balls and leg. “Let me love you.”

Leo let Jim do as he pleased and watched, totally enraptured by the beautiful man on his knees for him as he pulled Leo’s dick between his lips. Water poured over them, soaking Jim as he sucked Leo’s cock and ran his palms over his legs and belly. He lavished Leo’s manhood with licks and his crotch with kisses, his belly fur with playful nuzzles and Leo returned the affection with gentle pets down his head.

“You’re so beautiful,” Leo whispered, and Jim sighed with content. The cold wall behind him was a stark contrast to the warm water hitting his body and the wet heat of Jim’s mouth around his penis. Leo was getting better at lasting longer, but Jim was getting better at sucking. It was only a few minutes before Leo shot his load over Jim’s tongue and he swallowed Leo down, kissing the tip to clean away any leftover jizz. Jim stood and wrapped around Leo, kissing his neck and licking his ear. “Let’s finish up.”

After one final rinse-off, they toweled each other and returned to the bed. Jim gasped and darted off to dig for something under Leo’s bed, pulling out a tube of lube. “Guess what I found!”

“What’s that?”

“The right lube.” Jim grinned wide and brought Leo to the bed before giving him a single, excited kiss. “Will you prep me again?”

Jim wanted Leo inside him _again?_

Jim spread his legs and Leo uncapped the lube – this one was thicker and didn’t seem anywhere near as tacky. He parted Jim’s cheeks and started working a finger in when Jim cleared his throat.

“Um…” He looked Leo in the eyes, but blushed. “Be careful, I – I still have you in me.”

“’Me’ in you?”

“From uh – I mean from before.”

The revelation left him breathless and his cock twitching. “You – you what?”

“I – well, I just… wanted to keep you in me longer.”

Leo swallowed and resisted the primal urge to claim Jim’s lips. Jim, meanwhile, was bright red.

“It was our first time, I – just, um… don’t – don’t uh… let any out.”

Leo opened Jim up with care, making sure he didn’t spill any of his load from inside him. The lube spread much easier than the last one, coating Jim’s entrance until he clenched around Leo’s fingers.

“Okay, sit down at the head of the bed.”

Leo fluffed up his pillows to and sat down only to see Jim inches away from him when he looked up. Jim braced his weight on Leo’s shoulders and sat on his haunches above his crotch – giving Leo a nice view of his leg muscles and hard cock – then lowered himself onto Leo’s lap.

For the second time that day, Leo watched Jim’s greedy ass engulf his cock. When Jim sat and buried Leo balls deep, he shimmied his butt. Leo gasped at the sensation as Jim cupped his jaw to thumb his cheek.

“Leo,” he murmured, gazing into his eyes as he stroked a finger down Leo’s chin.

Leo had died and gone to heaven – he had a gorgeous man who loved him sitting on his dick, caressing him. He could feel his cum from before still inside Jim.

The slide of Jim’s body was exquisite, every downward thrust and upward drag making him sigh or twitch. Jim leaned in to kiss him and Leo grabbed his hips. Jim did a little lap dance, sending sparks of pleasure shot through Leo, making him drop his head back and moan. Jim’s lips met his neck, trailing down it until he replaced them with a hand cupping and thumbing his throat. Leo felt incredibly vulnerable, letting someone touch his throat like that, but this was Jim. Jim who had promised on more occasions than he can list that he’d never hurt Leo.

Jim who had promised him safety, acceptance, and now love.

Jim who fulfilled that trust with tender strokes to his neck and soft touches to his Adam’s apple.

Leo grabbed the lube again and slicked up Jim’s cock, stroking slow along his entire length while Jim levered himself up and down on Leo’s lap, pushing Leo’s cock as deep into him as possible.

Jim heaved breaths out as Leo worked his cock. He stilled and his jaw dropped open in pleasure. He reached for Leo and brought their lips together, moaning into him as he clenched around Leo, both of them plummeting over the edge.

The searing, raw pleasure threatened to black out Leo’s vision as his cock throbbed inside Jim, filling him with cum again, as Jim shot warm stripes of jizz on his chest, sticking to everything.

As the aftershocks wracked them, Jim drew away and locked eyes with Leo. They shone with a deep affection that brought Leo to tears. Jim brought his hands to Leo’s chest and massaged him, mindless of his cum on Leo’s body – or purposefully spreading it. It felt like such a loving act to have Jim card his fingers through Leo’s fur to spread his cum everywhere that he couldn’t bring himself to complain. It felt in a way like Jim was claiming Leo for himself; as long as it was Jim, he was happy to go along with it.

‘Claiming.’ Maybe that was a good word.

“I love you, Leo,” he murmured, rubbing jizz over Leo’s sternum. He brought a sticky hand up to cup his cheek and peck him on the lips. “I love you,” he said, slower, as if desperate to share how deep his love really was.

“I love you too,” Leo choked out, tears leaking down his cheeks, warmth filling his heart as he gazed into the eyes of his beloved Jim, tears falling from his eyes as well. After the outpouring of feelings between them it felt… insufficient to call Jim just his boyfriend. He wasn’t sure what word to use anymore.

Jim’s hands returned to Leo’s torso. A lot of Jim’s cum had landed in his treasure trail, and Jim started spreading that too. Leo didn’t ask for an explanation; it felt tender, somehow. Jim’s cock still lay on Leo’s belly, soft and sated, and though Jim covering him in jizz should have readied him for another go, Leo just sat back and watched, still keeping Jim full.

When he finished spreading stick and warmth over Leo, he caressed his face with a tacky hand, thumbing at each of his bruises. The discomfort wasn’t particularly bad – it ached a bit, but other than that it was alright.

“They hurt you,” Jim murmured. He was a lot worse for wear than Leo – he’d taken as many as five blows to the face and more over the rest of his body. Jim bit his lip and shook his head, more tears filling his eyes to the brim. “They hurt my Leo. Never again.” He kissed Leo soundly on the lips. “No one ever hurts you again, okay?”

Jim cupped his neck as he reclaimed every bruise with a touch of lips and a light caress of a finger. Any tears that fell he brushed away without judgment.

“I’m okay, Jim.”

“You took a punch for me,” Jim said with an awed tone. He counted the bruises on Leo and corrected, “you took _five_ hits for me.”

Leo’s mouth ran dry at the thought that flitted into his mind, a thought of how far he would go to protect Jim. “I’d take a bullet for you,” he rasped out.

“Oh god,” Jim croaked, and Leo’s heart broke. “Don’t make me think of that.”

“I mean it.”

Jim started to cry again. “I don’t deserve you.”

Leo shook his head and cradled Jim’s face. “You deserve better than me.”

“But I want _you._ ”

“Why?” he blurted without thought.

Jim pressed his lips to Leo’s face and forehead. “Because you’re kind and thoughtful. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. You’re a romantic at heart.” Jim kissed lower until he treated Leo’s chest to soft touches of lips. “You’re stubborn and smart,” He chuckled. “Handsome. Muscular.”

_Please say more._

“Sweet, sensual. Brave, too.”

“Now you’re jus’ makin’ it up,” Leo countered.

Jim silenced him with fingers to his lips. “You ran into a fight for me. I don’t know anyone else who’d do that for me.”

Leo didn’t know what to say to that.

“You’re my Leo.” Jim rubbed gently over his heart. “My Leo. My lion-hearted boy.” He smiled a dopy grin. “And I’m your Jim.”

Leo pulled Jim in closer, their faces inches apart and their eyes intimately locked.

“I have never felt for anyone what I feel for you.”

What was Leo supposed to say? All he could think of was—

“I – I love you, Jim.”

He wasn’t sure how long they sat after that, Leo buried deep in Jim as they kissed and petted, but as Leo brought Jim in to meet foreheads, his mind turned to the trip he was planning for them. He’d have to make sure it was the best trip Jim’s ever been on in his life.

Leo heard stomping approach his room. “Leonard Horatio McCoy! What is the meanin’ a this!”

Leo’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh no! Jim, the blanket!”

Jim clawed at the blanket, but it was stuck underneath Leo’s leg. He hadn’t even managed to cover part of his back when the door flung open and David stormed in. That’s when Leo’s face ignited.

“What’s all this about—”

“Papa, get out! _Get! Out!_ ”

“—oh Lord in Heaven!” David recoiled at the sight of Jim’s bare back and them clutching each other, Leo still hilt-deep in Jim. He spun around and smacked his head into the door jamb before stumbling out of the room. “I wish I hadn’t seen that,” he murmured in the hallway. “Both of you, my office, ten minutes!”

Jim covered them with the quilt, but not in time to preserve their dignity. Thank God David couldn’t see Leo coated in sticky cum. Leo buried his face in Jim’s chest and held on tight. “I wanna die,” he mumbled into Jim’s sternum.

“Me too. Let’s go out with a bang.”

“Deal.”

Jim exhaled and Leo gave a high-pitched whine. “Well… let’s go face the music, I guess.”

Jim braced a hand over Leo’s heart as he lifted himself up, going slow and clenching around him. It felt odd now, not being inside Jim, after however long they’d been together.

“It’ll be okay. At least it wasn’t your mom.”

Leo groaned and covered his face with an arm. “That’s not helping.”

“Let’s go clean up, okay?”

It took Jim picking Leo up and bringing him into the shower with him, but in under ten minutes (as demanded), they were seated across from David in his office. Jim marveled at the number of executive toys that littered his desk.

David stared at his computer, refusing to meet their eyes. “So uh… what’s this about a suspension?”

Jim and Leo both began at once.

“It’s not what it sounds like—”

“It wasn’t my fault! No, Jim, you go.”

“Sir, I – I was attacked.”

David finally turned to face them, his cheeks burning red, but his eyes widened in shock when he looked at Jim’s bruises. “Oh Lord, what happened to ya?”

“There was a big fight, sir. Um… Leo jumped in and helped me.”

David searched Leo and took in his injuries. “Who did it?” He glanced at the safe where he kept his shotgun.

“They’ve been expelled,” Leo hastily added, sure of what went through David’s mind when he looked at the safe.

David tapped a pen on the desk in an angry, loud beat and sighed. “So what happened?”

Leo looked down at the floor, refusing to meet his eyes. The fact that it had happened was bad enough – telling his father was like… admitting a moment of weakness. “They were hitting him, papa. Pushin’ him around and punchin’ him and I just – I couldn’t stand there and watch. They called him horrible names and—”

“Oh son, I – I feel jus’ awful now. I’m so sorry. Say no more. I understand.”

“You do?” Leo looked up to see David with his chest puffed out and a tiny smile curling his lips.

“I’m proud a you for standin’ up for someone you care for.”

“But I got suspended.” Leo glanced at Jim who just shrugged.

“To Hell with that, I don’t care. If they started it then I can’t fault you for protectin’ your boyfriend.”

“Don’t tell mama,” he pleaded. “ _Please_ don’t tell mama.”

“Well, that’s gonna be kinda hard what with the bruises all over your face but I – I guess I can come up with somethin’… No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” David narrowed his gaze in thought and scratched his jaw – he had several days of scruff built up for some reason. “I’ll – how about I talk to her an’ make sure she don’t say anything too… unfortunate?”

Leo breathed a sigh of relief and reclined in his chair. “I guess that’s all I can ask.”

David remained silent for a few beats before clearing his throat. “Now um… I uh… saw a bit more than I wanted to, but—”

“Oh no,” Leo moaned.

“No I – I think I need to say somethin’. It don’t matter to me that you did it. Y’all’d’ve done it eventually, I jus’… sex is jus’ somethin’ you do with the person you love more ‘n anything else. Unless…” He leveled a glare at Jim, who didn’t falter under the angry stare.

“I love your son, sir,” Jim said, not missing a beat. It warmed Leo’s heart even more to hear him say it to someone else – it felt like it meant even more, now that his father knew.

David looked taken aback, as if surprised – pleasantly – with how blunt Jim was. “Well that – that’s good, then.” He nodded and fiddled with The Decision Maker on his desk. “If you love each other, then I don’t care what you do as long as, uh – as long as everyone involved is givin’ permission. An’ I don’t have to see or hear about it.”

Leo felt like he may self-combust.

“Yer jus’ lucky it wasn’t your mama to walk in. She may be a homemaker but that don’t mean she works nine to five  _every_ day.”

“’Homemaker’, sir?”

David’s lips turned up in a big grin. “Oh, no, that’s our little joke about it. She’s a real estate agent – she literally makes homes out of houses.”

“Oh. That’s kinda clever,” Jim said with a chuckle.

“I’m not _that_ old fashioned. Now git.” Then David waved them out of his office. Just as Leo was about to exit the room, David called him back to speak to him alone, and Leo shut the door behind Jim.

“Look, I know your old man is embarrassing but – but I’m really happy you found love, and I’m real proud of you for what you did.”

Leo could barely get a reply out from the lump in his throat. “I – thank you.”

“Don’t you worry your head about this suspension, it ain’t gonna do a thing. Now go lick your wounds with your boyfriend.” David’s eyes widened in horror. “I – I didn’t mean like – you don’t – go, just _go._ ”

Once back in his room, Leo locked the door this time. Jim was on the loveseat, and Leo joined him.

“Well that was mortifying…”

“It could have been way worse,” Jim countered.

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.” Jim’s lips curled up like he’d thought of an awful pun. “What are you thinkin’ about now?”

“I’m thinking about how much cum I have in me right now.”

Leo’s cock stirred. “Oh.”

“Do you have any idea how hot it is, knowing how many times you shot inside me?”

“Jesus, Jim,” Leo groaned. “You’re a filthy animal.”

“But I’m _your_ filthy animal.”

“Yeah.” Leo sighed with a big, smitten grin. “I love my filthy animal.”

“Come on, lemme suck you off just one more time.”

“I came _three times._ I’m tired, I don’t wanna go again yet.”

“Fine, old man.” Jim turned on the TV and patted between his legs. “Watch a movie with me, then?”

“Excuse you, I’m only seventeen,” he grumbled as he sat in Jim’s lap.

“Fine, you’re an old soul.”

Leo scoffed, but he leaned into Jim when his beefy arms wrapped around him. He wasn’t really paying attention to the movie, but neither was Jim. He lay them back and Leo rearranged himself to nuzzle his chest.

“I guess we have a lot of time to ourselves for a few days.”

“I can’t play in the game and I’m not sure I wanna watch how they do without me.”

Leo sighed and kissed the hollow of his throat. “It’ll be okay. It’s just one game.”

“Yeah. It’s just one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is now informally flagged with the 'Graphic depictions of violence' archive warning and ‘homophobic violence'. No other archive warnings apply.


	23. Chapter 23

Leo awoke to Jim fidgeting between his arms. Overnight, he’d spun himself so he was the little spoon, hugging Leo’s hands against his belly and chest.

“Jim, stop movin’, ‘m tired.”

A noisy, nasal sigh snared Leo’s attention.

“What is it?” he mumbled.

“I can’t play in the game.”

What was the best way to get Jim’s mind off something? Sex. Leo stroked down Jim’s abs toward his dick, but when his fingers met the hair under Jim’s waistband, Jim pulled his hand away.

“I’m not in the mood.”

Leo hadn’t ever heard Jim sound so disappointed. He wrapped tighter around him and stroked his belly, his other hand pressed over his heart.

“It’ll be alright, Jim. Whatever happens, it’ll be okay.”

Jim buried his face in the pillow like a petulant child and didn’t reply. Food could cheer him up – not exactly the healthiest way to improve someone’s mood but Leo had just the idea for the occasion.

Leo gave a soft kiss to Jim’s shoulder and trailed his lips toward the freckle at the nape of his neck, then extricated himself from the covers.

“Where’re you goin,” Jim mumbled into the pillow.

“Don’t you worry about that, I’m gonna go make somethin’ for breakfast.”

“Okay.”

Leo pulled on a shirt and once in the kitchen, gathered all the ingredients needed. Once everything was assembled, he sliced and mixed and blended until his creation was in the oven.

Back in his room, he crawled under the blanket and clung to Jim’s back to cover him in kisses and pet his stomach. He still wasn’t particularly responsive, which was a disappointment, but he had to keep him occupied until his surprise finished baking. Although… their trip was coming up, and he still hadn’t asked Jim when he could go.

“Hey, what’re you doin’ the weekend after AP exams?”

Jim grabbed his phone off the nightstand and flicked through menus to his calendar. “Other than the game, nothing.”

“You wanna… go somewhere?”

Jim rolled over, dislodging Leo’s arms, and stared at him. “Somewhere? You mean like, out of town?”

“Yeah, like – just you and me.”

Jim scrutinized Leo. “Really?”

“Yeah!”

“What did you have in mind?”

“If I told you it’s a surprise, would you believe me?”

“A surprise?” Jim smiled and poked Leo’s nose, making him wince. “Oh, sorry. it seemed cuter in my head. You’ve been planning a surprise trip?”

“Maybe.”

“Pft, don’t maybe me!” Jim nudged Leo a bit harder than he should have, considering his sore shoulder.

“Well, it was _supposed_ to be a surprise, but I can’t exactly drag you out of town without any forewarning, now can I?”

“You could, but I probably wouldn’t like it. Not unless it involved promises of sexual favors.”

Leo shoved Jim, making him chuckle. “You brat. Yes, I’ve been planning a trip, and yes, it’s supposed to be a surprise. So do you wanna go or not?”

Jim grinned wide enough his eyes crinkled. “Of course I wanna go! What the hell kind of question is that?”

“Good.” Leo straddled him and kissed him square on the lips. Jim cupped his head and deepened it. Hands wandered over each other – Jim’s traveled down Leo’s neck, over his pecs, and through his belly hair.

The oven timer beeped. “Sorry, I’ll be right back!” Leo pulled away and adjusted his underwear before bolting out to the kitchen to the sound of Jim’s protests. Thankfully neither of his parents were there to witness his erection tenting his boxers. Didn’t really matter if Jim wasn’t willing to do anything, Leo’s body still wanted.

The top of the pastry was a crusty golden brown and the center perfectly hot. It only served two – it wouldn’t need much time to cool.

With his creation and the leftover cookie dough ice cream in tow, he returned to his room with the tray of food, and set it down on the bed.

“I made something for you,” Leo sang.

Jim sat up to look at what Leo brought him – his own peach cobbler, carefully crafted just for his boyfriend.

“Is that – is that what I think it is?”

Leo grinned. “What do you think it is?”

“The cobbler I loved so much?”

Leo puffed out his chest with pride. “That’d be the one. You look like someone kicked your puppy, so I made you some to cheer you up.”

Jim didn’t seem to think anything of Leo’s wording, and when he took a bite of the cobbler, he moaned in appreciation. “Ohhhhh,” he moaned around it. “It’s the same recipe!”

“Well, yeah, I mean—”

Jim’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as he gratefully ate the cobbler. “Holy shit, please tell me who made this.”

“Well uh… I did.”

Jim dropped the spoon in the bowl, his eyes widening. “You made this?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah. It’s – it’s my recipe.”

Jim cupped his jaw – with a light touch mindful of his bruises – and brought their lips together in a kiss so tender Leo nearly fainted.

“You made this for me?”

“Um… yeah.”

Jim looked on the brim of tears. “You made this for me, all those months ago, too?”

“Yeah.”

Jim held a hand over his heart. “That is so sweet. Thank you.”

Leo ducked his head and scratched his neck. “Don’t – don’t mention it.”

Jim couldn’t help but turn his lips up in a goofy smile. He gripped Leo’s hand in his and thumbed at the knuckles. “Thank you.”

Leo scooped up some cobbler and ice cream with his free hand and brought it to Jim’s lips. They took turns eating cobbler and feeding it to each other and when the entire bowl was empty, Jim curled around Leo in a tight hug.

“I love you,” he murmured, filling Leo with an indescribable joy. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m grateful every day that you’re in my life.”

Leo gripped him even tighter and buried his face in Jim’s neck. “I love you, too.”

 

* * *

 

“Ugh, I don’t wanna know.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Is that why you keep texting the substitute water boy, asking for score updates every thirty seconds?”

Despite Leo’s best efforts, Jim returned to his moping soon after their shared shower. Presently he paced around the room, checking his phone every few moments. It hadn’t even hit half time and already he seemed close to pulling hair out.

“Jim, come on,” Leo pleaded. “Jus’ come sit with me.”

“But the game—”

“Will go on an’ you’ll get updates when you get them. Now come sit down with me.”

Jim walked over to Leo and sat down across from him on the loveseat. Leo reached for Jim’s phone but he pulled it away. “No, I need to—”

“Jim! Whatever the final score is, it’ll be that way in twenty minutes or an hour or five hours or tomorrow.”

“I – okay.”

Although he looked crestfallen, Jim handed the phone over to Leo. Leo silenced it and turned off vibrations. A message came in just after he did so – the score was seven to fourteen, but Jim didn’t need to know that right now.

“Remember what I told you a few weeks ago?”

Jim bounced his leg in thought. “What?”

“It’s not you who lost the game, it’s the team, okay?”

Jim intently picked his fingernails until he got a nail shaving. Leo clasped his hands around Jim’s and ducked to meet his eyes.

“This isn’t a failure, okay?”

Jim huffed out a breath through his nose, frowning down at their hands. “I guess not.”

If anyone deserved to blame themselves for a failure, it wasn’t Jim. Life had already handed him too many bad cards – he didn’t need to be drawing more.

“Why don’t we just… talk for a while?”

“Okay. How’s your face feeling?”

Always thinking of other people… “It’s still tender.” Jim reached up and ran a finger along one of the largest bruises. Although it still hurt, something about Jim’s light touch alleviated it for the briefest moment.

“Yours look pretty bad,” Leo murmured. He took a turn examining Jim’s face, careful not to disturb any wounds. The ugly bruise around Jim’s otherwise gorgeous eye made his chest ache, and he gave a slight whimper.

“What?”

“They hit your eye.” Even though the discoloration was fairly hideous, Jim’s iris was still as beautiful a blue as ever.

“I’m okay,” Jim said, low and soothing as he stroked a hand down Leo’s arm.

“I know. I just – I wish it hadn’t happened.”

“Me too.”

Taking the conversation away from the rugby game toward this depressing topic was a _fantastic_ idea. “Um… I think it’s about time to ice them actually.”

“Again? All it does is end up hurting more.”

“I’m not gonna let you get away without properly treating your bruise, Jim.”

Jim slumped against the couch and groaned. “Fine.”

A few minutes later, Leo had ice packs and towels for them. He wet one in the bathroom and gingerly laid it over Jim’s bruises until half of his face was covered.

“It’s cold,” he muttered.

“Deal with it. This is how you’re gonna get that bruising to go away quicker.”

“You know, I was thinkin’.”

Leo settled a towel against his own face, wincing a bit at the sting of the compress – it wasn’t _that_ cold, but still.

“Should we hide these when we go back to school on Tuesday?”

It was entirely possible everyone would be talking about what happened, whether they hid their wounds or not. Leo didn’t feel any shame about who he was – he shouldn’t. Maybe it was better for the school to see what happened to them.

“No, let them all see what they did. They got expelled, right? Let everyone see that that’s what happens when you’re a homophobic asshole.”

“Okay. No hiding it.”

A few minutes passed in awkward silence – attempting to distract Jim from the game may have backfired a bit. The game had to be over by now, right? Leo took the ice pack off and checked Jim’s phone for new messages, only to see one he wished he hadn’t.

From: Devon  
 _17 to 17 into overtime now_

Better not let Jim have the phone, then.

“What the hell are we gonna do for another two and a half days?”

Jim adjusted the compress, hissing when it hit a sore spot. “Homework. Sex. Cuddling.”

“Glad to know where your priorities lie,” Leo teased.

“More like ‘glad to know you come right after school.’”

Leo snorted. “Yeah… I am glad to know that.”

Jim’s stomach gurgled.

“Hungry?”

“Yes,” Jim answered – their breakfast had been over four hours ago.

“Okay. I’ll go look for something. And no,” Leo added, pocketing Jim’s phone as Jim stared longingly at it. “You can’t have your phone back yet.”

“Ugh, fine.”

While Leo was in the kitchen making tortilla pizzas, David wandered in and dropped some dishes off in the sink.

“Say, when’s prom?” he asked as he hovered behind Leo to observe their lunches.

Leo had forgotten about prom. It had always been such a complete non-priority for Leo that it hadn’t crossed his mind. “Uh… hold on.”

The school website – checked with Jim’s phone, which Leo now knew had a picture of Leo in the middle of taking off his shirt for a wallpaper – stated that prom was the following Saturday and that tickets were still on sale.

“Oh shit, it’s—”

“Language, mister.”

“—next Saturday!” Leo exclaimed.

David’s eyebrows shot up. “You gonna go?”

“I – I dunno, I’ve never cared about prom much.”

“You never had a boyfriend to take, before.”

Also true. Tickets weren’t particularly expensive, but the tuxedos and corsages – do men wear corsages? – and other logistics were more of a problem.

As an aside, it still felt weird to have his father say that Leo had a boyfriend.

Leo’s pulse picked up at the thought of how unprepared he was. “Oh god, I don’t know the first thing about prom!”

“First, how ‘bout you go ask your boy if he wants to go?”

 

* * *

 

“So uh… you know what’s going on next Saturday, right?”

Jim chewed on a slice of pizza in thought for a few moments. “A game?”

“Well, yeah, but there’s the other thing.”

Jim must have been more focused on the game they were missing than anything else, because after a beat he shrugged.

“It’s uh, it’s prom. And, well, I was wondering if – if you wanted to go with me?”

Jim grinned around his pizza mid-bite, smearing sauce and cheese on his lips. “You wanna take me to prom?” he asked around a messy mouthful.

“I – of course I do.”

Jim looked the embodiment of a star struck teenage boy. “You – you wanna—”

“Jim. Will you go to prom with me?”

Jim’s lips turned up into a goofy grin and he pulled Leo in for a sloppy smack of lips, getting tomato sauce all over him despite Leo’s protests. “I would love to go to prom with you!”

“I – okay!” The anxiety turned into excitement – suddenly he felt like bouncing in his seat or jumping for joy outside. “Uh, we need, um… I don’t know what we need.”

“I know a great place for suit rentals on the cheap,” Jim said before returning to his pizza.

Leo turned to face him and furrowed his brow. “You do?”

“Yeah, I rented from them last year.”

“You went to prom last year?”

Jim nodded and took another bite. “With a bunch of friends. Had to fend off people asking to dance.”

It wasn’t difficult to imagine how many people wanted to dance with him; he wondered if he’d have a similar problem this year, too. Leo felt a pang of jealousy at the thought of someone else dancing with Jim. Then again, he—

Oh. _He_ would be dancing with Jim in front of everyone at prom.

“Did you buy tickets already?”

“Uh… no.”

“Better get crackin’.”

“I’ll be right back,” Leo said after finishing his pizza.

Fifteen minutes later, Leo secured his prom tickets with the help of David and his credit card. “Uh, Jim says he knows a place we can rent suits for cheap.”

“Know how you’re gonna pay for it, yet?”

Leo’s tutoring hadn’t been bringing in enough lately to warrant renting a suit. And then there was the corsage – he really needed to figure out if men wore corsages – and—

David started laughing. “Whoa, son, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. I can cover it, don’t worry.”

“Are you sure? You cover so much…”

“A’course I’m sure. It’s _prom._ You can’t _not_ go to prom with your boyfriend.”

“I—”

“No, you’re goin’ and you’re gonna have a great time with Jim. Don’t worry about the cost. We can go get suits fitted later this week.”

Leo shrugged. David had used his ‘that’s that’ voice – any argument at this point was beyond pointless.

“You spoil me rotten.”

“No I don’t, I know I don’t.”

 

* * *

 

“Well, here we go,” Jim muttered as he unlocked his phone.

Leo had let another half hour elapse before giving Jim his phone back. There’s no way the game went through more than one overtime period, but he wanted to make sure.

Jim swiped the phone to unlock it and read the text a few times. “Seventeen to twenty-four. We lost.”

After a few moments of silence, Leo said, “And? How do you feel?”

“I – well, I don’t _not_ care. But I’m a lot less upset than I thought I’d be. Huh.” Jim dropped his phone on the couch, eyes looking through the wall before focusing on Leo. “That’s different.”

“Really?” Leo asked, lips turning up into a smile.

“Yeah, I mean… it wasn’t my fault, I wasn’t even there. And it doesn’t really matter, it’s just one game.”

“I’m proud of you, Jim,” Leo said, patting Jim’s knee.

“Really?” Jim ducked his head and blushed, fiddling with his phone again.

“Of course I am.” Leo scooted closer to his boyfriend and wrapped an arm around his back. “I’m so proud a ’you.”

Jim stared at him for a moment, glancing back and forth between Leo, the phone, and the floor. “I dunno what to say to that,” Jim chuckled.

“You don’t have to say anything.”

 

* * *

 

Leo hated giving presentations; he hated this one all the more thanks to every pair of eyes trained on his face. As much as he tried to tell himself ‘you’re being irrational’ it did nothing to alleviate the anxiety he felt while presenting.

“So to – to cool the i-ice cream mix we used a solve—solution of sodium chloride and ice to form an exoth—sorry, endothermic reaction—”

The rest of the presentation was more of the same. When Jim presented, he stuttered nowhere near as much as Leo, but there were other hints of his anxiety, such as him shifting his weight from foot to foot. “The results… uh, we obviously don’t have any ice cream here but it – well, it was pretty good. It had a good texture, no big crystals, nice and creamy.”

Leo tried not to think of Jim blowing him before they even got to the ice cream. Then again, with so many classmates staring at the bruises on his face, it wasn’t particularly difficult to keep his arousal at near-zero. If it wasn’t about making a stand against people who tried to shame them for who are they are, he would have regretted passing on concealer, but just Jim’s presence at his side was reassuring enough.

Once back in their seats, they huddled together.

“Are you okay?” Jim asked.

“I – I dunno.”

“You haven’t stammered that much since I first started talking to you.”

“You haven’t stammered that much since _ever._ ”

Jim looked around, then ducked his head back in. “Okay, so it was… a lot more intimidating to be up there and have people stare like that.”

“I hope she doesn’t knock points off for presentation.”

“I don’t know how she could. We can always talk to her about it.”

“I guess.”

Four more presentations later, class ended and students filed out. Some still shot Leo and Jim a strange look, but Leo did his best not to pay it any mind.

“Boys, may I speak with you a moment?”

His stomach dropped out. This could go really bad.

“Uh, sure Mrs. Masters.”

Mrs. Masters perched herself on the desk next to theirs. “Well, I was… a little concerned when I first saw you two this morning. I decided not to bring it up, at least until I saw your presentation. I can’t imagine going up there with such awful bruises and not getting nervous.”

Jim busied himself with stuffing notebooks in his backpack, avoiding Mrs. Masters’ eyes. “Yeah, we um… everyone kept staring.”

“Is there some reason you didn’t cover it up?”

Leo inwardly fumed, though if he were honest with himself, it made sense to cover it up at least for the sake of the presentation. “Do you know what happened, last Friday?”

Mrs. Masters sighed, her gaze turned down toward the floor. “Yes, I heard of it.” The resignation in her voice spoke on its own of her grief and disappointment.

“Then you know it happened to us.”

“Yes.”

“I’m not gonna hide what happened to us – we shouldn’t have to,” Leo said.

“I know, boys. Look… I – you know, you’re right. Don’t you dare hide what happened.” She looked them right in the eye and sat up straighter – with conviction. “’He who allows oppression shares the crime,’ after all. I – don’t tell anyone I said any of this, alright?”

Leo, dumbstruck, nodded wordlessly. He glanced sidelong at Jim to see him furrowing his brow in confusion.

“There’s talk of ‘hate crime’ going around the teachers’ lounge and whether it’s true or not, don’t let a soul at this school get away with it, okay? Now, back to the presentation.”

Leo stared in awe at his teacher – he had expected a stern talking-down, not… whatever this was.

“I’m sure the staring wasn’t helping your nerves, and I know you hate presenting, Leonard, so how about this. Were you any other students I’d be docking you points, but instead I’ll give you both full credit on the speaking portion.”

Jim’s jaw dropped. “Really?”

“Yes, I think you’ve had enough grief this weekend for me to be adding to it with a poorer grade.”

“I… dunno what to say,” Jim murmured.

“Hopefully you’ll say nothing, don’t want anyone to suspect favoritism,” she said with a wink. “Alright boys, I’ll let you go. Don’t let the rabble faze you.”

“Um… thank you, Mrs. Masters,” Leo mumbled before she shooed them out the door.

 

* * *

 

The rest of the day carried on much in the same way, with surreptitious whispers behind his back and unsuccessfully hidden stares. During lunch, Leo hid behind a book in the library, and during Morality he sat in the front row – no matter how uncomfortable it made his teacher to see the bruises up close and personal – just to avoid letting other students see them. It violated their reason for not concealing them, but at this point it was embarrassing enough.

“How’d the day go?” Leo asked once he and Jim were seated in his car.

“’Bout as well as could be expected; got a lot of stares, a lot of people avoided me who usually wouldn’t.”

Leo sighed – this entire situation was beyond screwed up. “Maybe it’ll be better tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow’s our game, that’ll cheer me up.”

_I hope._

When they pulled up to Jim’s house, he leaned in and gave Leo a chaste kiss.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you,” Jim said, giving a sheepish smile before waving goodbye to Leo.

“I love you, too.”

Jim ducked his head, a blush spreading through his cheeks before stepping out and walking to his porch.

No matter how many times he heard or said it, it made Leo’s heart race.

 

* * *

 

When Leo got home, David was waiting in the living room.

“Leonard! Are ya ready to go suit shoppin’?”

“Suit shopping? But I have homew—”

“Nonsense! We gotta find a good suit for ya ahead of time before they’re all rented out.”

Well, he can always pull another late-nighter, but that wasn’t any good for his studies in the first place. Leo shrugged, dropped his backpack off in his room, and spent a bit of time concealing his injuries before David dragged him to the mall. When they arrived at the store, Leo marveled at how many suits lined the walls.

“So… I dunno how this works, haven’t had to rent a tux since our wedding. We didn’ have no fancy stores like this.”

Leo approached some black waistcoats and checked their sizes. “You could get a sales clerk.”

While David wandered off to find someone, Leo perused the coats. There were all sorts of different coats in different styles; he wasn’t sure where to start.

“Hi, you must be Leonard?”

Leo spun around to be met with a young man in his twenties wearing a store name tag. ‘Geordi,’ it read.

“Yeah. Nice to meet you.”

“So I hear you’re in need of a suit for prom.”

Geordi was helpful, informative, and above all courteous. He was also well-versed in color coordination. Despite that, over an hour later, Leo picked out a solid black tuxedo, a black vest and a plain white shirt. The dress shoes were a little uncomfortable, and he had no idea how to put on the cuff links, but it was just for one night. Geordi waved them off after ringing up the bill, reminding Leo he would have to get it dry cleaned himself before returning it, and off they were to the next store.

“Alright, now we gotta get you a boutonnière.”

“A what now?”

David chuckled and shook his head. “A boo-tin-ear,” he said slowly, as if that translated it. “It’s the flower thingy you give to your date.”

“Oh! A boutonnière? I’ve been wondering if you give a corsage to men too.”

His father kept laughing and patted his biceps, the bag shuffling in his hand at his side. “No, that’s what you give to the girls. Look…” He looked around, possibly searching for eavesdroppers. “Society has all sorts a rules for what men an’ women can an’ can’t do. Some of ‘em are bullshit, others have a good reason for bein’ there.”

Leo furrowed his brow in confusion – this wasn’t where he had expected his father to go.

“You don’t live in a very accepting world, which is a damn shame, since you’re goin’ to prom with a man. But! Because you’re datin’ a man, some a these rules don’t apply no more. Now, _you_ make the rules.” David prodded Leo in the chest to emphasize his point. “But there are some rules you jus’ don’t try to bend unless you’re willin’ to put up with the attention it’s gon’ git. Men get boutonnières, women get corsages.”

“Okay.”

“Actually, now that I think of it, you wanna get him a live one or a fake?”

“Well…” Jim would probably appreciate a live one a great deal more, despite how transient it would be. “Probably a live one?” Leo asked.

“Why’re you askin’ me? I don’ know him half as well as you do.”

“A live one,” Leo asserted.

“Okay, a live one!” David said as he walked them back to the car. “We’ll order it to pick up… Friday? How’s that sound?”

“Okay.”

“We’ll have to do rush processing because we’re orderin’ it late. An’ then you can get your hair cut after your game on Saturday.”

Leo gaped at his father. “M-my hair? But it—”

“Is too long an’ unruly.”

“But… it’s not _that_ long.” Leo carded his fingers through his bangs – maybe his hair was a bit long, certainly too long for Leo to shape into any decent-looking coiffure.

“In that case we’ll jus’ have it styled.”

With a loud huff, Leo plopped down in his seat, crossing his arms and feeling more like a child than he had in a long time. “Fine.”

“Don’t gimme any sass, young man. I bet you twenty bucks Jim’s gettin’ his hair done.”

“I’m not taking that bet.”

“Then getcher hair done,” David insisted. “ _And_ you’re shaving.”

“But Jim – he—”

“Yes?” David asked as he started the car.

“But Jim likes it.”

“Well…” His father scratched his chin in thought for a moment before waving a hand. “Oh, whatever. Jus’ get it cleaned up a bit, alright?”


	24. Chapter 24

By the time Friday rolled around, Leo had gnawed nearly all his fingernails to the root. He had to pick up the boutonnière for Jim, then figure out how to preserve it overnight. After the game, he had to go get his hair cut – or styled, whatever – and then it was time for prom.

Any number of things could go wrong before then: the boutonnière might be wrong, the spare might be wrong, the haircut might look bad, maybe they stylist would make a grievous mistake, the suit might rip—

Sandy’s Floral loomed in front of him and Leo hesitated before opening the door and entering. A heady and natural perfume from so many floral species bombarded him as he ducked under a hanging fuchsia by the door.

“Hello!” called out a cheery worker. Leo started at the sudden interruption to his disastrous line of thought as a perky young woman with her hair done in a cute bob watched him from behind the counter, an enormous purple bromeliad at her side. “Can I help you?”

“Um, I’m here to pick up an order under McCoy.”

“Okay, just one moment.”

The clerk fiddled with her computer, then went into the back room, leaving Leo to glance around at the innumerable flowers in the store. Hanging baskets and bouquets of every color imaginable were in every corner of the shop. He admired a large arrangement of tulips before the clerk returned with a pair of boxes, each containing a purple rose boutonnière.

Boutonnière no longer sounded like a word.

“Okay Mr. McCoy, here’s your orders – lemme tell you, if I were on the receiving end of these I’d probably go weak in the knees.”

“Eh?” Leo grunted while he pulled out his wallet.

“I didn’t make them myself, but when I saw the finished product – wow.”

He didn’t quite understand what the big deal was – it was a rose. It _was_ a very nice rose, though. “How do I, uh – how do I preserve it for tomorrow?”

“Oh, that’s easy. Do you have a mister of some sort? Just lightly mist them and store them in these.” She handed him a pair of plastic bags. “Keep it in a refrigerator away from foods – like in a drawer by itself.”

Leo nodded and the clerk continued while she carefully set the boxes into a larger bag.

“Just make sure it’s moist – not sopping wet, okay? Like, _artfully_ wet,” she said, spreading her hands as if framing a photo. She rang up his total and handed him the receipt for signature and payment. “And don’t freeze it – that’ll kill the poor thing.”

“Okay.”

“If you want them preserved after the event, you can bring it back to us and we can do that for a fee.”

“Alright,” Leo nodded. Keep them in the bags, lightly misted, in their own refrigerator drawer. That should be easy enough.

“Any other questions, Mr. McCoy?”

Leo shook his head and took the paper bag from her. “That’ll be all, thank you.”

“Okay. Good luck!”

Although he didn’t quite get the significance of the things, he had to admit they were a very nice, deep purple. Jim did love purple. They weren’t even all that fancy, and Leo was more afraid of wasting the money by accidentally damaging them than anything.

But what if Jim bought his own – or worse, didn’t like Leo’s? How embarrassing that’d be, to have his boyfriend turn down such a delicate and thoughtful gift.

He really hoped Jim liked them.

 

* * *

 

Throughout the game on Saturday, both Leo and Jim were a bundle of nerves – though he figured Jim’s reasons were a bit different from his. In just under an hour, Leo would get his hair styled, and then he’d head home to prepare for prom.

After the game, Jim and Leo parted ways in their own cars, with Leo heading right for the salon and Jim to wherever – Leo didn’t know.

Now, Leo stood in the lobby of the salon, waiting for ‘Amanda’ to come meet him and do his hair.

“Are you Leonard?” A bubbly woman in her mid-twenties approached Leo and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you! Come on back.”

Once seated in a salon chair, she began a series of questions about Leo himself – something he found mostly pointless. Leo was seventeen, he was studying to go to medical school, he was a high school junior, etcetera.

“So, what do you want done with your hair?”

Leo had neglected to actually ponder that question. “Well, I like my hair long, so…”

The silence left in the wake of his answer made Leo’s face burn.

“Well… okay, but hair like this,” she began carding her fingers through his hair, lightly tugging his head in whatever direction she moved. “Is a little difficult to control at this length. Can we try something a bit shorter?”

“Um… I don’t – I uh – I’m really nervous about cutting my hair shorter.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, I’ll be clipping it down to about two inches to start, then going shorter from there.”

“Oh, so it’ll leave…”

“Quite a bit left to work with.”

That would leave a lot of leeway for errors, alleviating one of Leo’s main concerns.

“ _And,_ you’ll be cooler in the coming summer months.”

One long, mournful look at the tousled hair threatening to cover his eyebrows and Leo decided a change might be in order.

“Okay.” He knew it sounded weak, but she clapped her hands with glee.

“You won’t regret it, I promise!”

_You can’t promise that._

 

* * *

 

Well, he didn’t end up regretting it.

It hadn’t been that bad of a haircut. It ended up being pretty good, if Leo was honest. Amanda cut and styled his hair up into an artfully messy do, then gave him the product she used for it at half off after finding out his prom was that evening. His hair was a bit tacky, to the point that Leo couldn’t scratch one particular itch above his ear without getting his fingers sticky, but the entire time he applied concealer in the bathroom he couldn’t help but admire the stylist’s work.

Now he had his tuxedo on and the boutonnières ready to present to Jim – not that he knew how to do that.

David wouldn’t stop fawning over him, adjusting his tie – he had lent Leo one of the very fancy ones this time – and hair, making sure he looked every bit the part of a southern gentleman.

“Don’t drink the punch if it tastes odd.”

“You mean like—”

“Remember when I let you try a beer and you threw it up?”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

David made a few more adjustments to his tie, then stepped back to take in all of Leo’s appearance. “Well I’ll be, you look dressed to kill,” he murmured. “I’ll be right back.”

With his father gone, Leo was left to agonize over whether he looked good, or if Jim would like his gift, or general nerves from not knowing how prom would go. David’s footsteps signaled his return, but in addition came the telltale snap of a camera shutter.

“Hey!” Leo growled, whirling around and stomping over to David – his dress shoes clicking every step – only for David to pull the camera out of his reach and look at the screen intently.

“That’s a good one!”

The doorbell rang and Leo froze. “Is that—” Two more rings in rapid succession – that’s Jim alright.

“I’ll get it,” David said as he left for the foyer, leaving Leo alone again. He ran sweaty palms down his suit, trying to smooth out any errant wrinkles as his pulse picked up.

“Hi Mr. McCoy,” Jim said, echoing from the foyer. “Um, where’s—”

“In the den, Jim.”

His father reentered the room, followed by Jim, and Leo’s heart skipped a beat. Jim wore a dark pinstriped suit that showed off his broad shoulders and heavy-set build – and hugged his body in all the right places. He’d trimmed his scruff and styled his hair handsomely, obviously having labored over it for longer than was strictly necessary, making him look rugged and well-cultured all at once.

Jim, too, stopped in his tracks at the sight of Leo, his eyes widening as they scanned every inch of him. “Holy shit,” he huffed out.

“Um, I – wow.”

David snapped a picture.

“Dammit! Papa, don’t do that!”

The chuckle coming from his father deepened his annoyance. “Oh, come on, I can’t take pictures of my son an’ his boyfriend on prom night?”

“I – well, I guess. Just don’t show them to me, I hate pictures of myself.”

“Fair ‘nough.”

“I – you look – I just—” Jim finally stepped over to Leo and looked him up and down, eyes resting on his face. “Hi.” The wide grin splitting his face looked even better with Jim dressed up as sharp as he was.

“Hi,” Leo mumbled, blushing a hot red.

“I uh – I got you um—” Jim held up a clear box that Leo had failed to notice, being so completely enraptured by Jim’s handsome suit. It held an orange rose boutonnière – his heart fluttered in his chest at the sight of it, elegant in its simplicity. “Can – can I put it on you?”

Jim blushed just as deep as Leo did – David took a picture – and Leo felt slightly faint. “Yeah, I – please do?”

Jim fumbled with the flower as he tried his best to pin it to Leo’s suit without poking him, his hands a constant presence against his chest. David’s camera snapped all the while until Jim finally anchored it in Leo’s breast pocket and smoothed away the wrinkles with a gentle brush of his hands.

Leo looked down at it with awe, then up to meet Jim’s soulful gaze. “Jim… thank you, it’s beautiful.”

“Leonard, get the…” Leo glanced over at his father to see him not-so-secretly tilting his head toward the box holding Jim’s gift.

Leo gave Jim’s biceps a gentle squeeze, hands lingering for a moment if only to feel the thick muscle under the fancy suit before he retrieved the box with the single purple rose from the bureau. “I – I got you one too, but you don’t – you don’t have to wear it, I just… thought it—”

Jim gasped at the sight of it, holding a hand over his heart and mouth open in shock. “Oh my god, Leo…” He sounded like the breath had been ripped right from his chest.

David took a picture.

Whatever Leo had expected Jim’s reaction to be, it had not been to gaze back and forth between the rose and Leo as if he’d offered him a priceless jewel.

“I mean if you don’t—”

“That’s for _me?_ ”

Leo’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Um… yeah, I—”

Jim strode across the room to take Leo’s jaw in his hands and fiercely kissed him – David’s presence be damned – stealing the words from his mouth before they could even pass. Leo wrapped his arms low around Jim’s waist – careful not to drop the box – as the other man’s soft, pink lips mingled with his, thumbs trailing down his cheeks in a gentle caress. Leo nearly lost all the strength in his knees from the raw passion Jim poured into the kiss. He vaguely registered the sound of a camera shutter.

When they parted, Jim gazed at Leo as if he were a precious treasure. “Oh my god… Leo, I love it. I don’t know what to say.”

Leo did his best to discard his confusion, though while he pinned it to Jim, Jim’s lips curled up into a giddy smile; it was more than easy to ignore his bewilderment at the sight of that boyish grin. He may have been imagining, but he swore Jim’s eyes looked wet as Leo struggled to pin the flower to his breast pocket.

David looked ready to burst into tears as he took pictures of the two men dolled up for prom. “They grow up so fast,” he choked out as Leo put the finishing touches on Jim’s adornment.

Jim bit his lip as he looked between the rose and Leo. He cupped Leo’s neck and brought him in for a chaste press of lips, “I love you” said as a soft whisper, and light strokes of his palms down Leo’s shoulders.

“I love you, too,” Leo whispered, just as quiet.

David interrupted their quiet – and sadly public – moment by declaring, “Time to pose for the camera!”

“Haven’t you got enough pictures, yet?” Leo drawled.

David scoffed and fiddled with the camera controls. “No, I only have… fifty-three.”

“That’s plenty!”

“Not when they don’t use film! This is a digital camera.”

Leo grumbled as his father arranged them until he was satisfied with the lighting and angle. Throughout the next ten minutes of pictures being snapped and false smiles, he bit his tongue.

“Oh come on, Leonard, I can tell you’re faking it.”

Jim ran a hand along Leo’s side, tickling him ever so lightly and making him start with a small laugh.

“You know I’ve been imagining how a suit might look on you,” Jim whispered.

“Yeah?”

“I uh – I can’t believe how wonderful it looks on you.”

Leo felt a smile unwillingly curl his lips and he glanced away from the camera.

“There’s that smile!” David exclaimed.

Leo did his best to school his features, but Jim stroked down his side. “Don’t ever stop smiling, Leo. Your smile is so beautiful.”

Leo bit his lip and tried to hide the blush with an arm. Jim batted his hand away and David just kept shooting away with the camera.

“Oh, come on, Leo,” Jim teased. “I think he’s had enough, David.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll put the camera away. Go off to your dance and have a nice time.”

They headed for the front door, but David called Jim back over to talk to him for a moment. Jim gave a look to Leo and shrugged before meeting David on the other side of the room. “Oh, take these.” He tossed Leo the keys and Leo – confused – left to go sit in Jim’s car.

A few minutes later, Jim left the house and jogged to the car before shifting around in his seat until his suit wasn’t rucked up.

“What was that about?”

“Oh, he just… gave me some money in case we want food after prom.”

It didn’t take that long to give someone money, did it?

Jim turned in his seat to look right at Leo – or rather, his hair. “What did you do with your hair? It looks amazing.”

“I went to a salon today.”

“Really? ‘Cause it looks like – like the wind’s been playing with it. It looks… fluffy and – god, I can’t believe how cute you are.”

As his chest filled with warmth and a bit of embarrassment, Leo mentally thanked David for insisting – and Amanda for delivering – on a stylish haircut.

While Jim drove them to the civic center, Leo couldn’t help but drink in the sight of him in that handsome pinstripe suit. “You look – just – wow, you look amazing in that suit.”

“Really?” Jim asked, ducking his head a bit. Even though it was nearing sunset, the golden light streaming in and lighting up Jim’s smile was enough for Leo to see the red blush flushing his cheeks. He looked so beautiful it made Leo’s heart clench. “I don’t look that good, do I?”

“You look incredible,” Leo insisted. “Did you get that suit custom-tailored?”

“Pfft, no, that’d cost a fortune. Why?”

Leo glanced down to Jim’s rear, thinking about his perky butt in that tight suit. “Because your ass looks _fantastic_ in it.” That wasn’t even to mention how good it made his crotch look; it was almost like Jim had stuffed a sock in his underwear, although Leo knew he didn’t have to.

Jim’s blush deepened and his lips curled upward despite his best efforts to contain himself. “Well w—what about you?” Jim stammered. Leo smirked at the sight of Jim flustered and – Leo glanced at his crotch again – turned on. “If it wouldn’t be so expensive I’d just have you wear a suit all the time.”

“I can’t afford that,” Leo chuckled.

Every so often he noticed Jim glance down at his boutonnière and grin. He still had no idea why Jim would react the way he was, but…

Looking down at his own flower pinned to his chest made him giddy and excited. He reached for Jim’s hand where it lay on the gear shift and threaded their fingers together. Jim glanced over and smiled wide, bringing Leo’s hand in to kiss his knuckles.

“We’re here!”

Leo pointed at a spot between a sedan and an SUV on the right curb. “There’s a spot on the street.”

“But it costs money!”

Jim passed the parking spot and Leo turned to glare at him. “Not on Saturday evenings!”

“What? Bullshit.”

Leo pointed to a sign on the side of the road that indeed reported Saturday evenings were free.

“But there are signs all over that say ‘event parking,’ it’s like ten dollars if we park on the street.”

“Shit.”

The parking lot for the civic center was a mess – there were barely any spots, and the spots that did exist were rapidly filling.

“Wait, there’s one, hurry!”

Jim gunned the gas, pressing Leo against the back of his seat, and managed to pull into the space before another car could swerve into it.

“There. Sorry about uh… earlier, with the street spots.”

Leo chuckled and waved it off. “It’s fine. I didn’t see the event parking sign.”

Thankfully there wasn’t a line. After presenting their student IDs and tickets, they were let in and arrived in what looked like a giant fishbowl.

The entire room – normally a gymnasium? – was lit with a dim blue light that shimmered as if they were underwater. Enormous strands of ‘seaweed’ hung from the ceiling and colorful, painted fish covered every wall. Littering the border of the room were papier-mâché clamshells filled with balloon ‘pearls,’ set in piles of what looked like sand. Every table had false coral center pieces and sand dollar napkins. Adorning the buffet table was a large mermaid in a resting pose – of course wearing a red clamshell bra.

“Wow, the student government really outdid themselves this year,” Jim murmured, looking around to appreciate the sights.

“It looks a little tacky, but… yeah, this is really cool. What was last year’s theme?”

“Las Vegas, complete with fake gambling – you know, instill bad habits while they’re young. If you think this looks tacky, you should have seen last year’s.”

The music hadn’t started yet, and students ambled about, taking seats at tables. Once they found an empty two-seater and made themselves comfortable, Leo ran his hands over the textured tablecloth covered in starfish and other sea creatures. “Damn, this must’ve been expensive.”

“Yeah,” Jim said. “That’s why the tickets were, too.”

Leo shook his head in disbelief. “My papa’s the best, lemme tell you,” he said. “I still can’t – he paid for all of this, Jim. He paid for our dates and our… I dunno what to say to him.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty awesome.” Leo noticed Jim looking down at the table, lips barely turned upward into a smile. “You thirsty? I’ll go get us some drinks.”

Jim left for the buffet. Leo surveyed the room again; a dark stage sat at the front of the room, nothing but a mic stand on it. Nothing else in the hall particularly surprised him – more decorations of an under-the-sea sort.

His thoughts turned to Jim’s odd, sad smile. Leo knew so many of Jim’s expressions that sometimes they could have conversations in silence using just their eyebrows, but he hadn’t seen that face before. It seemed so out of place for such a happy night.

Jim returned with drinks, a transparent blue fizzy liquid with fish-shaped ice cubes of various colors.

“What is this?”

“’Brine punch’, is what they told me.”

Leo looked at the strange drink with suspicion. “Do I wanna know?”

Jim answered with a cock of his eyebrows and a sip from his glass. “It’s good,” he said.

Leo took a swig and tasted the distinct flavor of lemon-lime soda and blueberry juice. “And the fish are…”

“Exactly what you think they are.”

“They’re floating.” Leo furrowed his brows and locked eyes with Jim. “That means they’re dead.”

Jim grinned and took another drink. “Try not to think about it.”

“Hey!” called a familiar, lilting voice.

“Is that—”

When someone patted Leo on the shoulder, he turned to see Jocelyn Darnell. She wore a gorgeous white dress, her hair flowed down her shoulders, and an enormous pink corsage was carefully pinned to the left bodice of her dress. “Leo McCoy, how are you?”

Leo grinned and turned in his seat to more fully face her. “Hey Joce! Haven’t talked in a while.”

“Yeah, well, I have you to thank for that.” Jocelyn pointed over to another table, where Clay sat, waving to them.

“Oh,” Leo said, dragging out the syllable as understanding dawned over him.

“Wow, you look really sharp in that suit.”

“Um… thank you,” Leo murmured. He still hadn’t gotten the hang of taking compliments, first instinct always to refute them.

“If you weren’t already taken I’d say beware the hordes of admirers. Although, now that you _are_ taken, that’s probably more likely to happen.”

Leo glanced over to see Jim give a tiny, jealous scowl.

“You look fantastic in that dress!”

“Thank you,” Jocelyn said, smiling wide and modestly holding a hand to her chest.

“So, the study group worked, eh?” Jim asked, a cocky smirk replacing the glower.

“Oh, don’t make that face,” she said, giving a sneer Leo knew had no heat behind it. “Yeah it worked, thanks. I owe you one. A few. A lot.”

“Just… don’t go into detail about why you owe us ‘a lot,’” Leo said, holding up his hands as if to shield himself from further details.

Jocelyn laughed and slapped Leo’s shoulder. “If you don’t share any, I won’t. I’ll see you guys around, have fun!” Then she strode back to her table shared with Clay and another couple.

A loud shriek from the speakers stole Leo’s attention. He looked at the stage and saw the student body president tapping the mic.

“Hey everybody, welcome to your 2014 prom! I hope you like the decor, we hired Aquaman to do it!”

No one said anything or laughed.

“It was a pain to get a hold of him, ‘cuz he’s so slippery!”

Silence.

“How’s your evening?” He waited several moments of more silence before asking again. “I said, how’s your evening?”

A few people halfheartedly said “Good.”

“Great! We’re ready to get this party started, so head on over to the buffet where you’ll find tables upon tables of junk food! Enjoy.”

Everyone seemed to stand up in unison, some heading for the buffet, others for the dance floor. The DJ started a generic Top 40’s dance song and prom-goers started bobbing their heads or swaying pointlessly to the heavy beat.

“Let’s dance.”

“I don’t wanna look stupid,” Leo grumbled, crossing his arms.

“Oh, come on, _everyone_ at prom looks stupid when they dance. Besides, we danced at that music festival just fine.”

“I didn’t have to see any of those people ever again.”

Jim laughed and grabbed Leo by the arm. “Come on, we’re dancing.”

“Don’t rip the suit!” Leo growled as Jim physically dragged him to the dance floor. Once on the floor and surrounded, Jim started shimmying his hips forward and back – looking colossally stupid in the process. Leo burned with embarrassment.

“Aww, Leo, lighten up and dance with me!”

“What in Sam Hill are you doin’?”

“Dancing!”

Leo chuckled and shook his head. “That isn’t dancing, darlin’.”

Jim scoffed, looking mildly offended. “Well if you know what dancing is, then show me!”

Leo knew it was a trap – of course it was a trap. Which made it all the more confusing when he actually waved his arms around and tried to copy what Jim did with his pelvis. Jim bit his lip as he rocked his hips toward Leo and back, almost hypnotic in how ridiculous he looked, eyes half closed and shaking his head. Leo bobbed his head and added little fist pumps in the air to the beat.

Jim broke into a grin, his eyes glinting in the oceanic light that couldn’t possibly compare to their natural beauty. He did a strange shuffle with his feet but nearly tripped over himself. Leo let out a hearty laugh and Jim’s eyes crinkled as his smile widened.

“God, Leo, your laugh is—”

“Kirk, let’s dance!” called someone next to them. A girl in a gorgeous red satin dress spun her arms around herself as she looked at him, a wide smile attempting to entice him.

“Oh, no thanks!” he answered, holding up his hands to placate her. “Have fun, though!”

She frowned in disappointment and stalked off to a group of people to chat up a storm with them.

“First of many,” Jim said, shaking his head.

The pang of jealousy Leo felt was offset a bit from knowing Jim would fend them off as they came; another part of him wondered if it was because he didn’t want to dance with them in the first place, or because he was with Leo.

“So uh… any reason why you turn them away?”

Jim didn’t miss a beat even as he kept dancing to the pounding one filling the air. “I’m here with _you,_ not here to dance with random people.” Leo’s lips curled upward and Jim moved into his personal space. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m not interested in anyone but you.”

“I – um… I dunno what to say.”

“Say, ‘I’m not either, Jim,’ or I might get a bit possessive.”

Leo broke into a wide grin and Jim did, too. “I’m not either, Jim,” he chuckled.

“I know.” He looked so content it made Leo’s heart twinge; he loved putting that happy look on his boyfriend’s face.

When the song changed, Jim’s face lit up – Leo knew that face, that’s the one Jim made when he got an idea.

“Hey, do a line dance with me!”

“What dance? I know a few.”

“Nah, I’ll teach you!”

Jim started by showing him a leg-crossing sidestep maneuver, then clapped his hands at the end of each one. He walked Leo through a backward stepping and foot-tapping motion.

“Good so far?”

“Yeah, this is fun! I swear I know this, though… “

When Jim walked him through the entire dance and ended with spinning to the left, he recognized what Jim was teaching him.

“This is the Electric Slide, isn’t it?”

“Yup!” Jim grinned. “Dance with me, Leo!”

Dancing was more than a little awkward – an eighteen-step dance didn’t go well with a 4/4 song and they tripped over their own feet trying to keep in time with the beat more often than not, but they laughed together when Jim accidentally shouldered Leo. A tap on his shoulder distracted Leo for a moment, and he turned to see someone he’d never seen before.

“Hi,” she said with a little wave. “Dance with me?”

“Oh, um…” Leo turned to look at Jim’s carefully schooled expression – anyone who didn’t know him wouldn’t at all suspect the flare of jealousy he felt. “No thanks, have fun, though!”

“Aw. Okay.” She left to go look for a new dance partner, and Leo spun back to face Jim.

“That felt awkward.”

“Yeah.”

“Does it always suck so much to turn someone down?”

Jim shrugged and nodded. “Pretty much. Just gets easier.”

Well, at least it’d get easier – as it stood now, Leo felt like an ass after seeing her disappointed face.

“Hey there, dance with me?” asked another girl, and Jim turned her down as gently as possible.

“See what I mean?”

“About people asking or about turning them down?”

“Both. I’m getting hungry, wanna go get some food?”

“Yeah.”

At the buffet, they filled their plates with finger foods and found some seats. While Jim munched on mini-burgers, a few people Leo recognized from the rugby team approached their table and clapped Jim on the shoulder.

“Hey, Kirk, what’s up?” asked Rogers.

“Hey guys! Not much. You enjoying the dance?”

Rogers was on the wiry side – more than one would think a rugby player would be. To his side stood Williams and Vastagh, Rogers’ ‘partners in crime’ – both of which dwarfed him. Of the three, Leo was least fond of Rogers. Vastagh was a personable enough fellow, but Williams usually bought into Rogers’ prank schemes.

“Yeah, it’s alright I guess. You come stag?”

Jim glanced over at Leo. Leo wasn’t sure what ‘coming stag’ meant. “No, I didn’t.”

“Oh really? Where’s your date?”

Jim met Leo’s gaze again, caught between a painful lie and an inconvenient truth. That was the look Jim gave whenever he felt put on the spotlight. It might as well be Leo who said it.

“Uh, I’m right here,” Leo said, waving to get their attention.

“You’re his date?” Williams asked.

After a moment of hesitation – partly from the shock of actually telling them – he nodded. “Yeah. I’m Jim’s date.”

“Oh?” Rogers asked, eyebrows shooting up.

“Huh, that makes a lot of sense actually,” Vastagh mumbled.

“You mean you,” Rogers pointed at Jim. “And you,” now at Leo. “Are together?”

An awful chill spread through Leo’s gut as Jim nodded. Despite being on the rugby team and under school official scrutiny, Rogers certainly wasn’t the most upstanding student on campus.

But then he nodded. “Cool, cool. How long?”

“About two months,” Jim answered, looking over at Leo and smiling.

“That long? That’s awesome. So uh… if you’re… does this mean I have to cover myself up in the shower?”

Jim’s smile vanished and he shot a hot glare at Rogers. “Don’t be an ass, Eric. Even if I _were_ interested, I wouldn’t be anymore after _that_ question. Besides…” Jim reached across the table and took Leo’s hand into a tender grip. “I only have eyes for one man, anyway.”

“Whoa,” Rogers said, backing away and holding his hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry, geez, sorry. It was a joke.”

“It wasn’t very funny,” Leo grumbled.

“Sorry, sorry I – let’s just go. Have fun.”

And then Rogers, Williams, and Vastagh were gone.

Leo’s meal wasn’t very unsatisfying – the finger foods didn’t quite have enough substance and the ice cream float wasn’t filling either. Adding cake and pretzels would just be worse. Only slowing the eating process were several dance invitations; Jim received three more and Leo an additional two.

Leo glanced around the room while Jim finished up his ‘meal.’ The photo line from earlier in the evening had waned to only a few people standing outside and waiting to be called in. “Hey, we should get our picture taken,” he said.

Jim looked up from his plate, a mini-burger still half-hanging out of his mouth. “Wha? Oh the pictures,” he mumbled around it.

After cleaning up their dishes (and Jim’s face), they joined the photo line. After about ten minutes of waiting, the photographer’s assistant ushered them into the photo room. The photo stage was an elaborate fake sunken ship, complete with even more balloon pearls, cardboard cutout coral, gauzy ‘seaweed,’ and cutouts of fish.

“This is really cool.” Jim reached out to touch one of the coral, but apparently changed his mind and drew his hand away.

“Okay boys, let’s get you set up,” the assistant said. He showed endless enthusiasm as he directed where to stand and how to pose, Leo avoiding looking directly into the spotlights the entire time. He had them stand with a bit of space between them, at least until Jim shuffled closer and wrapped an arm around Leo’s waist.

When the photographer turned around to see Leo gripping Jim’s oblique, he clapped his hands. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were an item. You are, right?”

Jim held Leo a bit tighter, a bit more possessively – perhaps because of the onslaught of people eager to dance with them, or to show off to the photographer. “Yeah.”

“I thought it was a friends picture, my apologies. Aaron! Pose them as a couple, would you? And do a careful job, okay? They’re a handsome pair.”

Leo blushed bright, making the assistant being in their personal space a little awkward. He turned them a bit and had them move until he had them just right, their sides still plastered together and hands curled around each other’s hips.

“Alright. Three, two, one, say banana.”

“Banana!”

The shutter snapped, and the photographer brought the camera over to show them the photo. Normally Leo hated seeing photos of himself, but the photographer was right – they did make a handsome pair. Now, he had a priceless photograph to commemorate their night together.

“Okay boys, here’s how it works. Since we have your student IDs, you’ll each get a photo in the mail and you can buy extras of varying sizes through your school. ‘Kay?”

Once back in the main room, they picked out more drinks and took an empty table.

“How many photos do you bet papa’s gonna want?

“Well, you are his son.”

A loud mic test from the stage drew their attention to the student body president fiddling with the mic and some notecards.

“Hey everyone, how you doin’? It’s the time we’ve all been waiting for! You’ve voted. You’ve voted again! And thanks to that little screw up where Mr. Reed lost the votes, you voted _again!_ ”

“Voting?” Leo glanced at Jim, who shrugged. “When did we vote?”

“Home room, last three weeks.”

Whatever his English teacher had handed out during home room, he hadn’t paid any attention to it, as it pertained to prom and he hadn’t cared at the time.

“We’ve tallied up, counted and recounted, and we finally have something to show for it! Our runner up Prom Queen is Cindy Armbruster! Congratulations on being first loser!”

Cindy Armbruster was his old lab partner – before Jim talked his way into being his.

“Is she still with Gary?” Leo asked, watching Cindy approach the stage to be handed an elaborate bouquet of fake oceanic flowers.

“Yeah, and they’re both still distracting each other from getting good grades.”

Leo missed the name of the prom queen, though she was up on stage now, gratefully accepting her tiara, a giddy grin plastered on her face as she waved out to the cheering audience.

“And now for the King! Our runner up Prom King is… Zoltán Vastagh! Congratulations on _almost_ winning!”

Leo and Jim clapped for Vastagh – apparently he was more popular than Leo realized. It was easy to spot the man in question in the crowd – a spotlight had targeted him. The sight of him sagging in disappointment as he walked toward the stage was disheartening. Their president tended to be a bit… abrasive and tasteless. Once on stage, Vastagh was also given a bouquet and directed to stand off to the side.

“And finally, ladies and gentlemen, our 2014 Prom King is… James Kirk! Come on up!”

Jim spun in surprise to stare at Leo, eyes wide and mouth open in shock. “I – what? I wasn’t on the ballot! Or… was I?”

Leo’s stomach did unpleasant flips as the spotlight descended upon Jim, nearly blinding them both. Despite his turbulent nerves, Leo did his best to support his boyfriend, patting him on the back and trying to push him up toward the stage, only for Jim to dig his heels into the floor.

“No, I don’t – Leo, stop.”

“Come on, Jim, go. It’s not every year you win prom king.”

Leo had to drag Jim to the stage by the wrist, an ordeal mortifying for both of them. Once on stage, the president tried to put the crown on Jim’s head. “Here’s your crown!” Jim stopped him before it encircled his hair and took the crown over to Vastagh. The mic barely picked up Jim saying, “I bequeath to you the keys to the kingdom,” with a bright smile and a pat to his biceps before a teacher stopped him from leaving the stage. They argued for a few moments, the mic picking up nothing, until finally the teacher let him pass. The prom attendees all talked in hushed whispers before Jim returned to sit with Leo, a red hot blush on his face.

“What was that about?”

The mic screeched as the president sought the attention of everyone again. “Well, this is an unexpected turn of events. Our new prom king is Zoltán Vastagh! Everybody give him a hand!”

Vastagh was ecstatic as everyone clapped for him and the queen as they were escorted to the center of the dance floor for the King and Queen’s dance.

“Jim? What did you do?”

“I—” Jim scratched behind his ear and his blush deepened. “I told them I just wanted to dance with my boyfriend and I didn’t want the crown.”

Leo gaped in shock – Jim turned down a once-in-a-lifetime experience so he could dance with Leo instead. “But… why?”

“Well I…” Jim started. He looked anywhere except Leo, finally settling on staring at some clownfish on the table cloth. “I wouldn’t like seeing you dance with someone else. Why would I ever think you’d like seeing me dance with someone else?”

“I – well – you’re not wrong,” Leo mumbled. He felt a bit ashamed, actually, putting it to words.

Jim looked over at the dance floor when the music started, watching the king and queen dance. He leaned into Leo’s space and gently gripped a hand. “Dance with me.”

It wasn’t a question; not even really a request. Leo locked eyes with Jim and the achingly fond look in his gorgeous blue eyes took Leo’s breath away. He was helpless to nod, and Jim pulled him to his feet and walked him to the dance floor.

With they pressed chest to chest, Jim settled his arms around Leo’s shoulders and Leo’s around Jim’s waist.

They set a beatless dance to the lazy tempo of the song the DJ had picked for the dance. While the warm chest pressed against his was wonderfully intimate, the onlookers kept distracting Leo.

“Jim, people are lookin’ at us.”

“Let them.”

Leo pulled away to lock eyes with Jim’s, only to see a steely resolve.

“Huh?”

“I’m sick of hiding who I am – who I _love_ – from the world just because of what people might think. Better to find out and cut them out later than just assume the worst.”

Leo glanced over at a couple who side-eyed them with curiosity more than distaste. Jim hugging him a bit tighter drew his attention back to his boyfriend.

“I don’t wanna hide how much I love you anymore. I mean, what’s the point in cowering—”

Leo crashed their lips together for a passionate kiss. When their lips met, he heard small gasps from nearby dancers and a few even clapped.

A modicum of panic rose in Leo’s chest, but he pushed through it, staying pressed to Jim’s soft, warm lips as they moved together on the dance floor, even the music fading away into white noise as Leo kissed the man he loved more dearly than anything else. Parting, indeed, was such sweet sorrow, as the gap between them when Leo drew away was a profoundly felt one indeed. As he looked into Jim’s beautiful eyes he regretted nothing about the dance, the kiss, the entire night. “I love you, too.”

Jim clutched him even tighter and let their foreheads touch, gazing into Leo’s eyes and sighing with content. “You know we’re gonna be the talk of the school for a while, right?”

Leo scoffed and shook his head. “I don’t think I care so much anymore.”

“We might get some deniers or something. Better start holding hands in the hallway to prove it.”

“Maybe throw in a few kisses here and there.”

Leo felt an insistent presence poking his crotch, making his cock stir with interest.

“What in hellfire’s goin’ on in that pretty head of yours, Jim?”

Jim gave a little half-smirk. “Thinking about what we can get away with on campus.”

“No,” Leo said, trying his best to emulate his father’s ‘that’s final’ voice. “ _No._ ”

“Oh come on, you’re no fun.”

“I’m plenty of fun,” Leo said, then pressed a tiny kiss to Jim’s lips.

Jim chuckled with a grin. “That you are.”

The first song bled into the second, and Leo relaxed in the hold of his boyfriend, thoughts of onlookers leaving his mind. Jim pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Come home with me,” he whispered.

“Anything,” Leo answered, already growing hard at the thought of what may be in store for him.

On their way off the dance floor, Jim seemed preoccupied by all the decorations around them. “Hey, let’s take something home.”

“Huh? Like what?”

“I dunno. A clamshell, some balloons – no, those’ll deflate. Oh.”

Jim’s eyes widened with that childlike glee Leo was growing to dread. He followed Jim’s gaze to see him staring at—

“No. Jim, _no._ ”

“Oh, come on!”

“No!”

Jim stared at the papier-mâché mermaid on the buffet table. “No one’ll miss it! They’re just gonna trash it after tonight!”

“Oh?” Leo crossed his arms and glared. “So, how are you gonna get it outta here without anyone seeing?” The buffet personnel were still cleaning up, and although everyone else was busy watching the dance, there were still enough onlookers to dissuade Leo.

“What if I just go—”

“No.”

“—ask a teacher.”

Leo grumbled to himself for a moment, brow furrowed and lips turned down in a scowl.

“You’re really hot when you’re angry.”

“Fine.”

A huge smile split Jim’s face and he ran off to find the nearest teacher. Well… at least it made Jim happy. That’s all that really mattered, in the end. A few minutes later, Jim returned with Mrs. Masters.

“Alright, fine,” she groaned. “Just… get it over with.”

“Come on Leo, help me heft her off the table.”

Leo took one side and Jim took her tail. Leo lifted her by the waist, but Jim lifted her too quickly and pulled Leo toward the table. “Whoa, wait—”

With a loud tearing noise, the mermaid’s upper half ripped from her tail and Leo lost his balance. He froze as he watched it fall and shatter on the floor.

“Aww,” Leo sighed. “She was cute, too.”

Jim, still holding the tail, barely held back a sputtering laugh as he turned red in the face. “Come on,” he squeaked, “let’s go.”

Mrs. Masters cut him off before he could run out the door. “Nuh-uh, clean up the mess.”

“Oh…” Jim met Leo’s eyes. “Can you get it? I’ll put this in the car.”

Leo shrugged helplessly and looked down at the chunks of papier-mâché – she had really only split into two pieces; maybe they could glue her back together.

“For the record, I’m dating a colossal dork, Mrs. Masters.”

She hid her grin behind a palm as Leo gathered both pieces of mermaid between his arms and haphazardly marched out the door as quickly as he could.

Once at the car, Leo dumped the mermaid chunks in the back seat as Jim tried to secure the tail.

“You brought it?”

“Of course I did. You wanted it.”

Jim brought him in for a wet, clumsy kiss over the back seat. “You’re the best.” He smiled wide and clambered into the driver’s seat, Leo buckling himself in a moment later, and then they were off.


	25. Chapter 25

“Get the door for me?”

Leo nearly stumbled over the threshold, carrying both pieces of mermaid while Jim held the tail under an arm.

In his room, Jim opened the closet for him and Leo carefully set down the pieces where there was space on the floor. Once Jim handed in the tail and he shut the door, Leo turned to leave for the kitchen, only for Jim to cage him against the closet door.

“Oh.”

Jim cupped Leo’s jaw, and thumbed his cheeks, gazing into his eyes, irises blown wide. “Leo,” he sighed, then his lips met Leo’s, his hands stroking down his shoulders.

Leo’s heart raced as Jim slowly undid the boutonnière in his pocket, laying it down on the dresser with care. Leo removed Jim’s purple rose, only for Jim to take it from him just as gingerly, laying the two roses together.

Jim’s lips captured his again in a soft kiss as he loosened Leo’s tie. Leo pawed at Jim’s collar to undo his as Jim’s fingers trailed lower to open their coats. Those startlingly blue eyes rarely left Leo’s, only flicking down to his fingers out of necessity and only closed if they were kissing. In no time, Jim slid Leo’s jacket over his shoulders, palms caressing muscles with a gentle touch.

“Jim, please,” Leo murmured. Seeing Jim in the pinstripe suit was already devastating – getting to slowly peel him out of it was a treat. As Jim removed Leo’s dress shirt, Leo worked Jim’s open to card his fingers through the golden hair coating every inch of his torso. Jim smiled wide as he trailed his fingers down Leo’s chest and through his treasure trail.

“God, do you have any idea what you do to me?”

Leo shook his head and held back a chuckle. “What do I do to you?”

Jim tilted Leo’s head back to press kisses to his neck and down his collarbone. “You drive me crazy, Leo.”

Leo hooked a finger in the waistband of Jim’s pants and brought him closer to work on the belt. Jim kissed his chest over and over as he fiddled with Leo’s slacks, lips tickling a nipple as he peppered Leo’s body with kisses. When he finally got the belt undone, Leo’s underwear went down with his slacks and his cock sprung free.

“Jim, your pants,” Leo said, patience turning into a primal need to see and feel the body of his hard, muscled lover.

Jim stood again and Leo dropped to his knees to press soft kisses to Jim’s abs as he freed him from the dress pants. As nice as they were, Jim looked better without them.

The suit was a close second, though.

Now that there wasn’t any pesky clothing in the way, Jim brought Leo up again by the arms to trade kisses, only to walk him backward to sit on the edge of the bed. He tried kicking behind him to shut the door while their lips were locked, but he broke into quiet laughter after several misses.

“What are you doing?” Leo chuckled.

“Shut up!” Jim said between laughs. “I’m trying to give us some privacy.”

Jim sat Leo down on the bed and locked the door, then Leo got to watch his boyfriend, completely naked and rock hard, approach him in an almost predatory stalk.

Dear God, that was hot.

Jim lay Leo down on the bed and knelt between his knees to kiss all over his belly. He nuzzled into the light brown hair coating him, then pressed a long kiss right below his belly button.

Leo stroked a hand down Jim’s head – feeling a slight tack from whatever hair product he used – and cupped the back of his neck. “What do you want?”

“Anything.” Jim curled his fingers around the base of Leo’s stiff cock and mouthed at the hilt. He trailed his wet lips up until he took Leo in as deep as he could.

Leo shuddered with sweet relief as Jim’s mouth enveloped him. He sat up to watch his dick slide between Jim’s lips as Jim bobbed his head up and down, giving an extra hard suck whenever he reached the tip. Leo jerked and gripped the sheets when that damn tongue of Jim’s worked into the slit, looking for precum.

Jim sucked him so slow Leo could hardly stand it. The raw pleasure of Jim around his cock was enough to curl his toes and rip shuddering breaths from him. It magnified when Jim hollowed his cheeks and sucked hard. A sudden sharp inhale of breath around Leo made a strange, loud sucking noise and Jim drew away to snort.

“Oh god,” he chuckled, face turning bright red. He buried his face in his hands and almost fell over from how hard he was laughing.

“What the devil was that?” Leo asked, Jim’s infectious laugh getting a snicker out of him.

“I – I sucked a bit too hard,” and the peals of laughter started anew.

“You dork!” Leo said, giving a playful slap to Jim’s shoulder, making him fall back onto the floor, a painfully wide smile on his face.

“Just – just gimme a sec.” Jim’s chest heaved as they both laughed until Leo’s sides hurt. “Okay, okay I – alright.”

He crawled back between Leo’s legs and sucked a few love bites into his thighs.

“Stop!” Leo giggled, and Jim smiled wide again. “Dammit, that’s gonna smart later.”

Jim took Leo’s cock in hand again and stroked him to get him hard again, then drew him in and licked everywhere, stopping Leo’s complaints. After taking him all the way to the back of his throat, he let Leo’s dick slip out from his mouth, lips dragging over the head in an almost-kiss. “God, your cock is so big and thick,” Jim moaned, sending a shot of arousal to his groin and a boost to his ego. “I could suck it for hours.” He gave a real kiss to the tip before sealing his lips around him.

“God,” Leo murmured as he stroked down Jim’s neck. “That feels so good.”

Jim slurped off and pressed kisses along the side of Leo’s manhood. “Cum for me, Leo.”

Leo twitched with pleasure when Jim licked at the head. He’d never get sick of watching Jim suck his cock. Leo let his jaw drop open when Jim slid all the way down, lips kissing the hilt and his tongue hugging the shaft.

A few moments later, Jim pulled off and stroked him to keep him hard. “Not quite there?”

Leo shook his head and let out a long exhale. “Suck me a bit more?”

Another grin and another snort. “You’re supposed to cum when I ask.”

“Since when?”

Jim took him again and moaned around him. He rolled Leo’s balls between his fingers and Leo cupped Jim’s jaw as he bobbed his head.

“You’re so beautiful,” Leo whispered as he gently petted Jim. How Leo had gotten so lucky was beyond him – Jim was handsome muscle and beautiful blond hair, gorgeous eyes and plush lips, eyelashes fluttering over his cheeks as he lovingly sucked Leo’s dick. Jim locked eyes with him and held his hand as he laved his tongue over Leo’s cock.

The arousal coiling in his gut finally swelled up and Leo cradled Jim’s head in his lap. “Here it comes,” he gritted as he heaved out breaths. The first shot was the hardest, coating the back of Jim’s mouth. Every pulse of his cock pumped more cum deep down Jim’s throat and Jim swallowed every drop of it for him. “Oh Jesus,” Leo whispered when Jim let his dick slide out from his lips. He peppered it with kisses and nuzzled at Leo’s thigh, letting out a snort and smiling as he burrowed his face into Leo’s belly fur, little presses of lips tickling him.

Leo kissed Jim’s forehead when he drew away and gazed into the eyes of his best friend and boyfriend, unable to put to words how deeply he cared for him.

Words didn’t end up coming to him, and Jim straddled his lap to make out for a few moments, his hands caressing Leo’s body and cupping his head, the taste of semen on his tongue.

“Lay down,” Leo said in a hush tone.

Jim climbed off him and lay down with his legs over the edge and a pillow propping his head up. Leo stroked Jim’s belly for a few moments, fingers ghosting over soft hair and hard muscle, trailing along the dips of Jim’s abs.

Jim looked up at him, biting his lower lip in anticipation. Not wanting to keep Jim waiting – for long, anyway – Leo settled himself between Jim’s legs and ran a finger along the underside of his dick, where some precum had trailed. He leaned in to kiss the bittersweet precum off.

“Oh man,” Jim whispered. He carded his fingers through Leo’s hair – which probably only made them sticky – as Leo mouthed at his cock, never actually pulling it between his lips.

It was all sorts of fun to torment Jim, watching his belly tense with expectation from Leo’s game of will-he-won’t-he or feel a light pressure from Jim’s hand trying to guide Leo’s lips to the crown of his cock.

“Leo, please,” Jim asked after a couple of minutes of lavishing his dick with kisses.

“Tell me what you want,” Leo said, looking into Jim’s half-lidded eyes.

“Please suck my cock,” Jim mumbled, smiling and giving a tiny laugh.

Leo couldn’t help but grin even as he took Jim between his lips and gave him exactly what he wanted as Jim sighed and caressed his temple.

Sucking Jim’s dick was quickly becoming one of Leo’s favorite activities. Not only was it just fun to do, but Jim coming apart was an unforgettable sight; pupils blown wide, mouth open, hand in Leo’s hair and breath coming heavy. And then there was the touching. Jim loved touching him as he serviced his cock. Jim would stroke down his back, caress his neck, or cup his jaw, all while whispering his feelings.

But _the taste._ Jim’s cock tasted like the purest essence of him, filling his mouth with flavor and his nose with Jim’s musk. Only adding to the reward was the bittersweet cum at the end.

Leo _loved_ to eat Jim’s cum.

He laved his tongue over Jim’s manhood – his thick, heavy, perfectly shaped manhood – as his lips dragged up and down him. He cradled Jim’s balls and sucked hard.

Jim’s hand shook as he stroked Leo’s jaw. “I love you so much, Leo,” he whispered.

Leo blew him all the more passionately after that, taking Jim ever deeper and swirling his lips until Jim’s breath came in unsteady heaves as he whispered sweet nothings.

He pulled off with a pop, a kiss, and a devious smile, letting Jim’s cock slap against his belly and lay in his treasure trail. After a few licks down Jim’s length, Leo curled his hand around the base of Jim’s balls and lightly kissed his sack.

“Oh shit,” Jim murmured.

A few soft licks made Jim grip Leo’s hair a bit harder. He mouthed at Jim’s furry balls, trying to see exactly what it did to him, and Jim rewarded him with a soft groan. With a light caress to the underside of Jim’s cock, he kissed one of his balls and carefully sucked it between his lips. Another shaky pet down his neck was all the encouragement Leo needed; he licked all over Jim’s nut and sucked him deeper, holding it in his mouth as he played a finger over the head of Jim’s dick.

“Holy shit, that feels good,” Jim huffed out. Leo hollowed his cheeks, pulling Jim deeper, then letting go a few times. It wasn’t Jim’s cock, but it was just as fun to watch him squirm under Leo’s hands. He let Jim’s ball fall out of his mouth with a soft slurp, then gave the same treatment to the other one.

When he sucked Jim’s entire sack between his lips and buried his face in the crook of his leg, Jim shuddered with pleasure. Leo gave a low moan as he sucked Jim’s balls deeper into his mouth.

Even between his lips he felt them drawing up – Jim’s cock jumped under his fingers and Leo glanced up to see Jim shoot thick ropes of jizz all over himself, coating his belly. Jim heaved noisy breaths and Leo watched his cum-covered abs flex with each heave.

“Jesus Christ,” he snorted. “That uh – I didn’t last very long. I’m a mess now.”

Leo let go of his balls and reared back for a better look. Jim had shot a huge load in long stripes all up his torso, stretching from his crotch to his sternum. He’d been looking forward to sucking down Jim’s semen right from his cock. Although...

Leo ran his hands up and down Jim’s thighs and kissed the V of his hips before wrapping a hand around Jim’s dick and bringing the head to his lips. He sucked on the tip and used his tongue to clean off Jim’s delicious jizz.

“Oh god,” Jim murmured. He resumed stroking Leo with such a gentle touch it made Leo’s heart do flips in his chest.

Leo popped off and squeezed from base to tip, wringing out a huge drop of cum to suck that off too.

“Oh god, oh god,” Jim murmured as Leo squeezed out as much cum as he could until Jim had apparently ran dry, but there was still the cum coating him.

Once Jim was soft, Leo pulled himself further up on the bed and licked Jim’s abs, getting a stripe of jizz on his tongue.

“Oh my god,” Jim mouthed.

There was so much more on Jim’s tummy Leo couldn’t help himself but dig his tongue into the dips between Jim’s muscles to lick up whatever he could. His hard abs quivered under his lips with every kiss to the sticky skin.

“Jesus, that’s so hot,” Jim laughed as he watched Leo lick his treasure trail, lapping up cum and swallowing it down. Leo had to crawl further up the bed to reach Jim’s chest, where he stroked his pecs. Jim huffed out a noisy breath as Leo kissed the cum off his sternum.

Once Jim was clean, Leo lavished his chest with presses of lips. Jim snaked his hands down to Leo’s ass to cup the strong muscle and thumb at the crease between his cheeks.

“Leo,” he murmured.

Leo answered with a kiss and gazed into his eyes in question.

“Can I make love to you?”

Leo froze where he lay on top of Jim – he’d been afraid of this for a while. What if he wasn’t any good at it? What if Jim hated it? What would he do?

“I – I’ll try.”

Jim furrowed his brow in confusion for a beat, then gave Leo another press of lips to the forehead. “Okay.”

Leo noticed Jim was rock hard again as he dug for the lube in the drawer. He reclined on the bed for Jim, but the seconds passed by in slow motion. Jim got the lube out, then uncapped it, smeared some on his fingers, and then moved Leo’s legs out of the way to gaze down at Leo’s entrance.

“Are you ready?”

Leo nodded and braced himself for Jim’s fingers to press into him. The first touch of Jim’s fingers wasn’t cold as lube usually was, and he circled Leo’s hole a few times to tease him, but it didn’t feel particularly good at all.

Jim pressed kisses to his knee as he pushed a finger in. Leo tensed up under the pressure and whined quietly. The pull at the ring of muscle was uncomfortable and Leo couldn’t help but resist it.

The finger left him and returned with another, and Leo could only seal himself against the insistent presence.

“Leo, what’s wrong?”

Leo hummed in response, trying to play it off as something other than anxiety.

“I can’t open you up if you’re so tense. What’s wrong?”

With a loud exhale, he steeled himself for... he wasn’t sure what. Disappointment? Recriminations? “I just – I care for you so much, and I want – it was so good for me and I just—”

Jim stroked his dry hand down Leo’s tummy. “You mean too much to me for me to get upset over it not being good. Besides,” Jim said with a playful leer, “I’m pretty sure anything with you is gonna be good.”

Leo bit his lip and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. We don’t have to. Can I do this for a bit, though?”

Leo nodded and a single slick finger pressed in, the rest of Jim’s hand cupping his ass.

It was such an odd feeling, having someone inside him, that Leo could barely get used to the single finger’s presence. Jim spread more lube and crooked his finger—

He gave a sharp jerk at a shot of pleasure up his spine.

“Whoa, what was that?”

“I found it,” Jim said in victory with a wide grin. Leo started again when Jim’s finger stroked against it – that was his... prostate?

Whatever it was made him huff out breaths with every touch as electric pleasure seared through him. Precum leaked all over his belly as Jim fingered him.

“That good?”

Leo gave a strangled noise that was supposed to be ‘yeah’ but came out more like ‘yhnng.’ He tightly gripped the sheets and bit his lip to hold back gasps. Jim hummed with a smile and kissed Leo’s leg, gazing down at Leo with such fondness it betrayed what he was doing in Leo’s body.

When Jim tried a second finger – to no avail – he pulled out and petted down Leo’s inner thigh. “Okay, I think you’ve had enough.” After releasing Leo’s leg, he leaned in for a soft peck to his lips. “Thank you for letting me.”

Leo nodded, practically hypnotized by Jim’s incredible blue eyes. “Anything for you.”

With a light blush and a grin, Jim kissed him again. “In that case… will you make love to me again?”

Leo pulled him in for a wet kiss and breathed a shallow “Yes.”

After trading places and propping Jim up with pillows, Leo lubed up his fingers and rubbed at Jim’s hole, feeling him shiver under his fingers. There was something intoxicating – almost addictive – about knowing he could make a burly man like Jim tremble and sigh with want for him.

The first finger slipped in easily enough. Jim seemed to really love when Leo just rubbed his hole. Just to make Jim squirm, he alternated between pushing a finger in to stretch him open and playing with the ring of muscle.

“Oh fuck,” Jim whispered. Leo watched him clench around him when he added a second finger. Even though he couldn’t wait to push inside Jim – to eagerly take what Jim offered him out of love – he made sure to work the other man open carefully and thoroughly; hurting Jim was the last thing he ever wanted to do.

With Jim open and pleading with but a look, Leo slicked himself with a generous amount of lube and lined up. Just the sight of Jim’s hole ready for him had Leo almost painfully hard. He pushed in slowly and watched Jim’s body engulf the head of his cock and sighed with relief. Jim clenched around him as he sank into his wet heat.

Jim was far more accepting than the first time they made love – Leo was in to the hilt in a few beats. They hadn’t ever used condoms – hadn’t needed them – but with how hot and slick, raw and _alive_ Jim felt around him, Leo wasn’t sure he _could_ go to using condoms.

Jim let his head fall back from the raw pleasure of Leo inside him, and hit the back of his skull on the headboard of the bed with a thud. “Ow!”

Both of them laughed and when Leo saw Jim’s wide smile – when he looked deep in his cerulean eyes, laugh lines around the edges – and heard his melodious chuckle, he fell in love with him a bit more.

With a bit of difficulty, they scooted down the bed a few inches without Leo pulling out, and Leo propped a pillow behind Jim’s head, giving a light snort every time he thought of Jim hitting his head. He caged Jim to the bed and traded ardent kisses with him, cradling his head and thumbing his temple.

Jim curled around him, pulling Leo closer and trapping him inside – not that Leo wanted to escape – and Leo started to roll his hips, gently thrusting into Jim. He heaved out a breath and let his eyes shut from the sensual pleasure of Jim around his cock.

Leo varied his angle, fucking up and down, and moving side to side, trying as hard as he could to find the spot inside Jim that made him moan. Jim’s breath came in huffs and he clutched Leo like he were a life preserver. A gentle kiss to his nose made him smile again.

“You feel so good, Leo,” Jim whispered, stroking a hand down Leo’s side.

Something tight gripped at Leo’s heart as he gazed down at Jim, who looked up at him as if he’d personally crafted the starry night sky aeons ago. Their lips met again and Leo pulled Jim in, desperate to say without words what he felt for him. He grabbed the lube and smeared some on Jim’s cock to stroke him slowly.

The first thrust into Jim’s g spot drew a gasp from him and he tightly gripped Leo’s nape. He let out a beautiful whimper when Leo found it again, and he smiled wide in embarrassment.

Leo kissed him and nuzzled Jim’s cheek with his nose. “Don’t be shy.”

Leo could hardly bear how beautiful Jim was beneath him. He kissed down Jim’s neck and stroked his chest, soft hair dragging under his palm, and burrowed into his shoulder.

As he neared orgasm, Leo’s sensitivity rose and a thrust into Jim’s g spot tickled Leo’s cock head, sending a jolt of pleasure through every inch of him. He gave a loud whine and bit his lip. Jim chuckled and hugged Leo tight. “I uh – that was…”

“Don’t hide it,” Jim said with a laugh.

With every thrust he drew closer to sweet release. Leo nearly collapsed on top of Jim from the pleasure, and Jim’s belly heaved from every press into his prostate.

“I’m close, real close,” Leo murmured.

“Cum in me.” Leo gaped at Jim, part surprise and part arousal. “Hold it deep in me.”

After that, Leo only lasted a few more thrusts before the heat in his gut overcame him. Jim relaxed his legs and crushed their lips together as Leo came deep inside him. Every throb filled Jim with a big rope of cum, every pulse another shot of the most intense pleasure Leo may ever know racing through his body. He whimpered into Jim’s mouth, turning into a whine when Jim clenched around him and shot jizz over Leo’s fingers and all over his belly fur. He stroked Jim through his long orgasm until he wrung out the last few drops of cum from them, and Leo collapsed on his boyfriend, Jim’s warm load and sweat sticking them together.

Jim tilted Leo’s head to lick in his mouth and Leo let him, willing to give anything Jim wanted. He tilted his hips, trying to fuck his cum as deep into Jim as he could until he went soft. They kissed for God knows how long – Leo only knew that that he never wanted that moment to end.

“Jim,” he sighed, head laid on a pillow as he gazed into Jim’s eyes and carded through his hair. They were wrapped around each other, save for Leo’s one hand. Jim looked so content, Leo wished he could take a picture of him. “Does it feel weird, having me inside you?” he asked quietly.

Jim smooched his forehead and relaxed again. “Your cock?”

“Yeah, but… my cum, too.”

Jim’s eyes wandered over Leo’s face in thought. He gave a little stroke to Leo’s beard. “It was weird at first, but it’s more like – it just feels really good, knowing you came inside me.” The strokes down his back resumed, and Leo settled more into the pillow. “It feels really good to have you hold it in me, I dunno why. Like – like you want me more. Like I’m yours, now.”

Leo moved in to trade soft kisses for a few moments. Jim’s hand stroked through his hair and cradled the back of his head. When they parted, Leo asked, “What was it like our first time, when I did it twice?”

“ _Wonderful,_ ” he whispered, eyes bright with fond memories. “I _loved_ knowing I had so much of your cum inside me.”

Leo had no idea what to say to that.

“What’s it feel like to cum in me? To hold it in me?”

“Uh…” It was an amazing mix of warm emotions, raw and unfettered and inexplicable – were Leo a poet, he might be able to put it to words. “I don’ know. It kinda feels like I’m somehow even closer to you now than before. Like I belong with you.”

“Like I’m yours?”

Leo gave a nod. “Like you’re mine.”

Jim gave him another kiss, slow and sweet. “I feel that too.”

“I care even deeper for you than I did before. I—” Leo took a breath, his throat threatening to close. “I’ve never loved anyone like I love you.” Every smile he saw, every laugh he heard, every moment shared made him love Jim a little more than before.

Jim tightened around Leo and buried his face in Leo’s shoulder. Leo felt a kiss behind his ear and heard a wet, shaky inhale. “I love you, too,” Jim whispered.

What felt like an eternity of cuddling later, Leo slowly pulled out – trying to keep his load inside Jim – and left for the washroom to get warm cloths. He handed one to Jim when he returned and they gently cleaned each other off. Jim tossed them toward the hamper without any care for the other laundry and lay down again.

“Hold on, one more thing.”

Leo took the flowers to the kitchen and stored them each in a misty bag in the fridge to keep them alive for another night, then returned to Jim and curled around him. Once under the covers and in darkness, Jim spoke again.

“I had a really good time, tonight. How about you?”

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.”

 

* * *

 

When Leo finally roused from sleep, the feeling of Jim in his arms brought a smile to his lips. They’d shared a wonderful night together – and an even better bout of sex. He glanced at the clock – it was already eight, and his stomach was growling. Jim lay half on him, passed out and breathing deeply.

Leo untangled himself from the mess of muscle and started toward the kitchen before remembering that Jim’s house got pretty cold at night. He looked for his shirt and underwear only to discover that the washcloths they used the night prior had landed squarely on them – and thankfully not on the suits – instead of in the laundry hamper. He sighed and crept over to the bureau.

One drawer was shirts. Jim was so big that they hung loose on Leo’s smaller frame, but it smelled distinctly like him, and Leo couldn’t help but hold it to his nose and breathe deep the sandalwood scent of his boyfriend before pulling on a big red one. It exposed a lot of his upper chest, but that was the price you pay for showing off chest hair.

Leo glanced back over at his boyfriend still under the covers – still stark naked – relaxed and content. Also apparently still asleep.

Pants, socks, there it is – Jim’s underwear. Jim’s boxers were also bigger, though the elastic helped with that.

There was something strangely erotic about wearing Jim’s clothing. Maybe knowing that strong muscle had been confined by the shirt he was wearing, or that his cock was clothed in the same Jim’s cock normally was. He wondered for a moment – were his clothing to actually fit Jim – whether Jim would find it just as arousing to wear Leo’s underwear, or if Leo were to find it arousing himself.

Leo tiptoed to the kitchen and assembled the ingredients for eggs and bacon – simple enough, and easy to make. Jim didn’t have the most satisfying things stocked in his kitchen, though it had gotten better since Leo started staying over and Jim wanted to make sure they both had (better) food.

(David also donated to the cause every so often after Leo requested it.)

Soon enough the smell and sound of sizzling bacon and scrambling eggs filled the kitchen.

After carefully plating the food, Leo brought the dishes back to Jim’s room, hoping the smell alone would rouse him from sleep. When he butted the door open, however, Jim lay on the bed, reclining as seductively as he could – and his lower half was covered in blue scales and he had a large fin.

“Ahoy there, sailor.”

“Wait… Jim, are you – what?”

“What’s a strong man of the seas like you doing—”

Jim tried flapping the tail, only for a loud tearing noise to interrupt him. His legs burst out from the mermaid tail and papier-mâché scattered everywhere. Jim bit his lip as his face turned red, trying to hold back the embarrassed laugh, but it broke out and he cackled madly.

Leo groaned loudly and held back chuckles. “Oh my God, you _dork._ ” Jim kept laughing as Leo brought the food over. “I’m dating a child.”

“What!? Oh, come on.”

Leo glanced around the room to see more papier-mâché had been stuffed in the garbage bin and it now littered Jim’s sheets and the floor.

“Look at this mess. You need another shower,” he said as he served Jim’s plate to him.

“Is that my shirt?”

Leo glanced down at the shirt and boxers he wore. He _may_ have gotten a bit hard, thinking about Jim’s cock in them. There _may_ be a precum stain. “Maybe.”

Jim’s jaw dropped a bit. “I had no idea I wanted to see you in my clothes until just now. You were—” He gaped at Leo, staring right at his crotch. “You _totally_ were hard while wearing them, weren’t you?”

“Shut up!”

Jim fell into uproarious laughter and he lunged forward to wrap around Leo and plaster him to the bed. “You were thinking about me the whooooooole time, weren’t you?” he mumbled into Leo’s neck.

“Jim, get off, the food is gettin’ cold.”

Jim nuzzled his neck and left a soft kiss right below his jaw before climbing off him again. “Okay, fine.”

Cheesy scrambled eggs with tabasco sauce seemed to hit the spot for Jim – he hummed and shook his head with appreciation every few bites.

“I don’t know how you made scrambled eggs so good, but damn. I picked a good brand of bacon, too.”

After their meal, Leo shoved Jim off to take a shower, only to follow him in. Leo was so happy to smell so strongly of sandalwood again. A shy, content smile constantly decked Jim’s face as they massaged shampoo into each other’s hair.

The kissing started again once they rinsed off. Hands wandered everywhere over the both of them as they traded hungry kisses. Leo trailed his down Jim’s belly before following with his lips, licking at Jim’s wet fur. When he dropped to his knees on the porcelain floor, he trailed Jim’s cock over his tongue.

Jim bit his lip as he gazed down at Leo, eyes half-lidded and hand stroking down Leo’s head. Leo wrapped his lips around Jim’s dick and the other man let out a held breath between pursed lips.

Leo settled a hand around himself and stroked as he bobbed his head on Jim’s dick. The smell of sandalwood and the heavenly taste of Jim in his mouth had him moaning as he sucked his cock. He finally managed to take Jim all the way to the back of his throat without choking, kissing the hilt once seated. Jim gaped at the sight and stroked down Leo’s jaw, and Leo sped up his strokes on himself, wanting desperately to cum too.

“Oh Leo, dear god,” he whispered, barely audible over the roar of the shower.

Leo opened up to see if he could suck one of Jim’s nuts in along with his cock, but could only lick at his sack.

“Don’t cum, I – I want it. Wanna taste you.”

How could Leo say no to that? He had to pull his hand away lest he cum just from hearing that, though. He drew away to suck on the tip and eat some of Jim’s precum before popping off. “You’re so beautiful like this, Jim,” he murmured before sucking him back in.

Not a few bobs later, Jim gasped and moaned Leo’s name as his head fell forward. He watched Leo slide up and down his cock as he shot his load in hot spurts over Leo’s tongue, his body twitching with every forceful throb.

Leo sucked on the head of his cock for a few moments, moaning appreciatively of Jim’s bitter jizz on his tongue, before pulling off and swallowing. He gave a tiny gasp to catch his breath, then sucked Jim a bit longer to clean him off.

Jim petted Leo with light and tender strokes as Leo wrung out the last of Jim’s cum and lapped it up with more enthusiasm than he approached most anything else. He let out a sigh, so content and happy that Leo’s heart clenched tight.

Leo stood again and Jim wrapped around him, kissing down his neck and settling on the freckle at the hollow of his throat. He blindly groped for the water control and shut it off, ceasing its cascade down onto them. Jim guided Leo to sit on the edge of the tub and knelt on the bath rug in front of him. He sighed again and smiled, laying a hand on one thigh and palming the other.

Any wishes that Jim would return the favor fled from his mind – if Jim kept looking up at him with a such a gleeful smile and petting him so tenderly, Leo could die happy. Jim did, however, apparently want to return the favor.

After a few soft kisses to his tummy, Jim curled a hand around Leo’s cock and gave a few languid pulls. A few licks to the tip, he blew air on it, and Leo twitched with want. When he finally wrapped his lips around the head, Leo shuddered and braced his weight on Jim’s shoulders. Jim loved going slow – he drew his lips over Leo’s length in long slides, tongue teasing every inch of him until Leo clutched his shoulders tighter and tighter.

To add to it all, Jim slurped off and said, “C’mon, Leo, wanna eat your cum.”

Leo still had a visceral ‘don’t!’ reaction whenever Jim took him deep, not wanting to choke the poor guy when all he wanted to do was show Leo how much he wanted him. Jim seemed to not mind it anymore, swallowing around his length and popping off to kiss his manhood. The ‘don’t’ reaction didn’t surface when Jim engulfed Leo’s cock right as he began to throb. His mind went blank and his toes curled as he jumped between Jim’s lips. With a few blissful pulses of his cock, he emptied his balls in Jim’s mouth, watching Jim suck every inch of him as he swallowed every drop.

“I think this is the best breakfast I’ve ever had,” Jim murmured as he stroked Leo. He gave another kiss to the tip and Leo gripped the edge of the tub. “Eggs and bacon, toast, and a load of my boyfriend’s cum.” After he cleaned Leo off, he said, “God, I love eating your cum.” He laughed sheepishly and his cheeks darkened. Thankfully the bruises were mostly healed, and easily hidden by concealer.

Leo stroked a hand down Jim’s jaw and scratched at his scruff. “You dork.”

“But I’m _your_ dork.”

“I’m a real lucky guy,” Leo said.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

As much as Leo would have loved to spend the entire day sucking cum out of each other, their first AP exam was tomorrow, the second on Tuesday, so as soon as Jim put their dirty laundry in the wash, they hit the books. Leo couldn’t focus, though, either from memories of the night before, or fresh ones from that morning.

One particular memory stuck out – the one of Jim looking down at his table, almost melancholy. Perhaps he could ask now and get it off his mind, lest his studying be even less productive for the rest of the afternoon.

“Um... Jim?”

“Yeah?” Jim had his nose practically buried in his chemistry textbook, notes at his side and flashcards in hand.

“Can I – can I ask you a question?” Just saying that aloud was enough to make Leo’s heart race.

“Um... I guess?” Jim sounded as hesitant as Leo did, furrowing his eyebrows and side-eyeing Leo.

“I – well, uh, yesterday at prom, you uh – when we were talkin’ about the tickets, you kind of – I said somethin’ and you jus’ – jus’ looked so sad and... I jus’... what – what put that look there?”

That was likely the least eloquent Leo had ever been in his entire life.

Jim paled as if he’d seen a ghost, eyes searching his textbook in thought. Leo knew better than to press for more information now – it was all up to Jim at that point. Leo started when Jim finally spoke up after a few moments of uncomfortable silence and reading the same paragraph over and over.

“I was thinking about my father,” he said, low and monotone.

Leo’s stomach sank to the floor, the memory of Jim claiming his mother was his ‘only living parent’ returning in full clarity. “Did you – what were you thinking about?”

Jim took a deep breath and let it out through his nose. He refused to make eye contact with Leo. “I never got to meet him.”

“Oh...”

“I don’t know everything – mom never liked talking about it, especially not after she left for the military again, but... I have some details.”

Leo wasn’t sure he wanted to hear them.

“What I know is that he died in a car crash on the way to the hospital the day I was born. Paramedics found stab wounds in his stomach and didn’t know where they came from. They told mom he had passed out from blood loss and his car drifted into oncoming traffic. Big pile-up that day.”

Leo’s jaw dropped open and his horror grew with each passing word.

“To make things worse, my three-year-old brother,” this was the first Leo had ever heard of him, “Had died in another car accident just a few days before that, so I guess – I guess it was too much for mom.” Jim trailed off, waving a hand uselessly in the air.

“Oh my god…” Leo lay a hand on Jim’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’m so sorry, Jim.”

Jim shook his head and patted Leo’s hand. “Nah, don’t apologize, don’t be sorry. I sometimes wonder what they were like, but…” Jim shrugged nonchalantly. “I can’t think like that, you know? I mean... Sam was only _three._ He’d be twenty-one now – in college, a drop-out, partying, who knows, but he wouldn’t be the same person as that three-year-old boy. And my dad?” Jim gave a loud sigh. “I try not to think about that. Chris is about as close to a father as I’ll ever get.”

Leo, caught in a shocked stupor, stared at Jim long enough that Jim tried waving to get his attention.

“Leo?”

“Sorry I – I just… don’t know what to say.”

Jim shrugged and returned his attention to the chemistry work. “You don’t really have to, I don’t think anyone would know what to say either.”

“But I _should_ know what to say, I’m not just anyone.”

Jim’s lips curled up into a smile. “Yeah. You aren’t just anyone.”

 

* * *

 

After they said their goodbyes and ‘I love you’s, and after Jim’s car disappeared around the corner, Leo called up the florist.

“Hello? Yes, how late will you be open tonight?”


	26. Chapter 26

On Monday came the dreaded AP Chemistry exam. Tuesday wouldn’t fare much better – the AP Calculus exam was on Tuesday. At seven thirty, Leo, Jim, and the rest of their class bused to the city center for exam administration.

The test administrators had set up in a large auditorium, as so many students were taking the exam that anywhere else was unfeasible.

At eight, the exams began. At half past nine came a short break, during which Leo and Jim convened over their given answers for the exams. At nine forty-five, part two of the exam began, and they bused back to school at eleven thirty. Just in time for lunch.

While walking through the school hallways, Leo caught a glimpse of a few girls pointing at them and whispering to each other – probably gossip about their dance at prom.

“Jim,” Leo whispered, leaning into his personal space. “Everyone’s talkin’ about us.”

“I know, it was bound to happen eventually.”

“I hate this.”

Jim patted Leo on the shoulder and held him closer. “I know you do. Remember, nothing worth doing is easy.”

He sure hoped coming out was worth it – with the problems they had just a few weeks ago, more trouble could be on the horizon.

Or maybe trouble would find them now.

“Hey, Jim,” a mellifluous voice greeted. From their side, a young woman approached them, waving a meticulously manicured hand.

“Hi Brittany.”

“So, I heard some things.”

Jim nodded in faux interest. “Yeah? What kind of things?”

“I didn’t know you were with Bones, like, as a couple.”

Jim gripped Leo a bit tighter. “Yeah.”

“That’s pretty neat. I didn’t think he’d be your type – but then again, I didn’t think _guys_ were your type either, so… shows what I know!” She laughed, a twittery laugh that left Leo feeling dizzy and a little sick. Who was she to suggest Leo wasn’t Jim’s type, or to presume who he’d be into in the first place?

“Yeah, well… surprise!” Jim said, giving a smile that failed to reach his eyes.

“See you in Spanish. Aloha!”

While she walked off, Leo stared in confusion. “Does she know that—”

“Aloha isn’t Spanish? Yeah. She thinks it’s funny.”

When they reached Jim’s locker, people gave them a wide berth for some reason – maybe not wanting to get in the way of the rugby captain?

“People don’t normally do that for you.”

Jim looked around with an eyebrow cocked. “No, they don’t.”

Someone flanked by several peers Leo didn’t know approached them, his stance aggressive and cocky. “Hey Kirk, Bones.”

“Who’s that?” Leo whispered.

“Alex Sipos. I hate him,” Jim murmured back. “Hold on.” Jim turned to face their interlocutor more fully, standing as tall and intimidating as he could. “Alex,” he said with a nod.

“So, if you two are together…”

After a moment of silence, Jim prompted for more. “Yes?”

“Which one of you is the girl?”

Jim snarled and waved him off. “Oh, fuck off, Alex.”

Alex turned to Leo and clasped his hands together in mocking adoration. “Aww, he’s defending your honor. Guess that makes you the little bitch wife, huh?”

Alex’s entourage guffawed as Leo’s face heated up to an angry red.

“Remember what happened to those guys who got in a fight with me?” Jim gritted out.

“Yeah, what of it?”

“You know why they’re not here anymore? For doing what _you’re_ doing.”

Alex’s eyes widened but he quickly schooled his expression. “Yeah, whatever, I’m not throwing any punches. Bye, losers.”

“I have half a mind to go tell administration,” Jim muttered.

“Don’t bother,” said someone new. A girl – probably a freshman, judging by height – approached them from the side. “I took a video of the whole thing.” She held up a phone covered in pink stickers. “I’ll do it.”

“Oh… uh, alright,” Leo said.

“For what it’s worth, I hope you two are happy together.”

“I – thank you,” Leo said, touched by the sentiment of the complete stranger.

Later, in the cafeteria, Leo and Jim sat quietly eating alone. Leo’s ease, however, had been compromised already, and he gazed around the room on the lookout for more interlopers.

Unfortunately, another came, this time in the form of a tall, athletic girl Leo recognized from Morality but whose identity otherwise eluded him.

“So like, if you two are together…”

Leo inwardly groaned, but put on a fake smile for her. “Yes?”

“Can I watch you two make out?”

“No!” Jim bellowed. “What kind of question is that?” He pointed toward the exit and yelled, “Get out of here!”

“Jeez, it was just a question,” she muttered as she stormed off.

“Can you believe some people?”

Jim shook his head. “Unbelievable. Don’t even know who that was.”

“She’s in my fifth period. Maybe I should do something.”

The library proved to be quieter – for a time. While studying for the Calculus exam together, Leo saw out of the corner of his eye a trio of girls approaching.

“Oh no, please, no.”

“What?” Jim surveyed the library in search of Leo’s concern.

One girl had red, puffy eyes and a soggy tissue, while the two on either side of her glared with a hot fury at Jim.

“Alright, tell ‘em,” said one.

Through sniffles and quiet gasps for breath, the middle girl spoke. “Jim, did you ever actually like me or was I just – just a convenient _beard_ or something?”

Jim looked flabbergasted, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about? I barely speak to you.”

Another loud sniff, and she continued. “But we flirted in class all the time!”

Leo felt a strange chill in his chest. “Jim? Who’s this?” he asked, genuinely perplexed.

“Meg, from my History class. We sit at the same table, that’s it. it was small talk, there was nothing flirty about it!”

Leo laughed in disbelief – the events of the day all seemed so surreal and now this? How could this possibly be happening? How was _this_ his life, now?

Jim turned to glare at him. “What’s so funny?”

“You!” Meg exclaimed, pointing right at Leo, and his blood ran cold. “Did you put him up to this?!”

“What? No, I didn’t – I didn’t do anything!” Leo held his hands up in surrender, but not a one of them was convinced.

“Ugh! I can’t believe you could be that cruel, Bones,” she choked out. “No wonder everyone hates you.” She stomped out of the library with one of her friends at her side.

Jim stood up and chased after Meg in a fast walk. “Wait, you’ve got it all wrong, I haven’t – I’m not—”

The third girl – who to that point had silently fumed in disdain – barred him from leaving the library, standing in the way of the double doors. “How could you toy with her like that? Lead her on for weeks only to do _this._ I expected better from the rugby captain.”

Then she, too, left the library.

Leo watched his boyfriend stare at the door in disbelief, onlookers gaping at him. His face burned with sympathetic mortification, until Jim turned around and glowered at him. Never had Leo seen Jim angry at him; now, it was a terrifying sight as Jim stomped toward their table.

“What the fuck was that?” he gritted out.

Leo’s heart sank as he fumbled for words. “What? What was what?”

“That stupid laugh you did. _Ha!_ ” Jim mimicked his laugh with a sardonic tone that cut deep to the core. Leo felt like never laughing again would be too soon.

“I – I just – but—”

Jim shoved his book and notes into his backpack, crunching up the notebook in the process with his haste.

“What are you – Jim, where are you going?”

“I’m _leaving,_ ” he grumbled.

Leo clambered over the table to get a hold of Jim’s backpack to stop him, but Jim pulled away too quickly and Leo fell flat on his face. “Wait, I didn’t mean to!”

Jim ignored him and kept walking toward the exit. Leo gave chase, still trying to explain.

“I just – it seemed so ridiculous! Jim, stop.”

Jim turned around and glared with such heat, it scared Leo to his very bones – he’d never seen that fury directed at _anyone._ “Don’t talk to me,” and then he left without another word, leaving Leo alone in the library with a broken heart.

He gaped in shock at the exit, hoping beyond hope that Jim would return. When others started working their way around him to leave, he glanced at the clock on the wall to see he had ten minutes until class started. He plodded over to his backpack, feeling hollow and cold, and headed off for Morality.

 

* * *

 

To: Jim  
 _Jim, please, I didn’t mean to laugh._  
Say something  
Please Jim, don’t do this.

Every message simply reported _not yet read._ That, combined with Leo’s already fragile emotional state, and the students nearby – did they _really_ have to stare? – made Morality a miserable drudge.

Leo couldn’t escape the classroom fast enough when the bell rang, and although he made record time to the parking lot, Jim’s car was absent.

_Message not yet read._

His stomach gurgled in distress.

Leo headed to the gym at their usual time, hoping to find Jim there. The gym, however, was also devoid of any blond-headed rugby players, and Leo didn’t have the heart to do anything beyond a bare minimum exercise, leaving after twenty minutes.

Nothing he did distracted him from the raw anger and pain on Jim’s face, the hurt in his voice, or his desperate attempt to assuage that girl. Jim had become such a permanent fixture in his life that his absence left Leo reeling. Throughout the evening, he felt a horrid mix of anger and despair.

_Message not yet read._

Was that it? Were they done? Maybe Jim realized he could do better than Leo, and that would be the last he saw of him.

Every attempt at studying was hopeless. Eating dinner was a chore, leaving Leo hungry and David concerned. He gave David a simple “I don’t wanna talk about it,” when prompted. TV was yet another failed attempt at distracting himself – every show that came on reminded him of Jim. The scene played over and over in his head, new iterations forming, each more disastrous than the last until it seemed certain to him that Jim wanted nothing to do with him now.

_Message not yet read._

Even though he felt like he was rotting from the inside out, he prepared for bed early and lay down, only to quietly cry, wiping the tears away with the sheet every few minutes until he fell into a restless sleep.


	27. Chapter 27

Tuesday morning, Leo stood with the other students in the calculus classes by the roundabout, waiting for the buses to arrive. Jim had predictably not offered to carpool that morning, and any attempt to find him in the crowd of classmates had been a failure.

Three buses rolled up and their class took the first.

By the time he got on, there were barely any seats left and Leo had to sit near the front. A complete stranger plopped himself down in the seat next to him, much to his annoyance. He glanced around the bus and found Jim sitting in the back – or rather, he saw his blond hair, the rest of him was obscured from view by the seat in front of him and nearby people.

Leo’s heart clenched in his chest – how was he to focus on the exam with such a horrendous emotional turmoil brewing in him? If Jim didn’t want to even look at him…

It felt like a punch to the gut, that something so heartbreaking happened so soon after prom. They shared a wonderful weekend together, and now this.

This.

Leo cursed the mad ravings of a hormonal teenage girl for potentially destroying his relationship.

He checked his phone to see that Jim still had not read his messages. Either his phone was dead, or he was screening them.

Overcome with frustration and guilt, Leo bit back a whine and let his head rest against the window, rattling with every speed bump hit.

On second thought, if Meg was a hormonal teenager, he and Jim were as well. Leo barely had any right whatsoever to complain about her. Heartbreak did weird, terrible, awful things to people. It wasn’t exactly difficult to empathize with her, anymore. Her actions seemed perfectly rational by teenage standards, at that point.

He really should find her and apologize, but he didn’t know how to even begin. Jim shared History class with her – he could always—

Oh.

 

* * *

 

Jim ignored him throughout unloading the bus.

Calculus was a welcome distraction, the cold logic of math dragging him away from the tumultuous feelings that previously plagued him.

During intermission, Leo found Jim surrounded – by friends or acquaintances – in a protective ring of sorts, busying himself with conversation and shielding himself from Leo’s advances.

What if Jim really _did_ break up with him? Jim was his _best friend._ How do you replace someone like that?

You don’t. You move on. You wait for the hurt to stop. Hopefully you meet new people, and the gap is filled by other hearts.

That didn’t change the fact that Leo had next to no friends other than Jim. Jocelyn, maybe. All of Leo’s memories of prom, all his plans for their vacation, all the love he’d invested in Jim would be for nothing.

When part two of the exam began, Leo buried himself in numbers and variables.

 

* * *

 

Leo made it on the bus before Jim did.

With his leg as a bodily shield, he saved the seat for the man who hopefully would still be his boyfriend when their spat was over. Jim, however, ignored Leo yet again, opting to head to the back of the bus instead. With his heart in shambles, Leo slumped against the window, staring outside into the dreary May morning. The notecards in Leo’s inner breast pocket poked his abdomen when he took a particular position. He jostled his coat to—

_That’s it!_

Leo took out one of the cards.

**_Time and time again, I think of you and how it would feel to embrace you in my arms_ **

Reading it, then thinking of their fight brought a tear to Leo’s eye. Even as his vision rapidly blurred, he dug in his backpack for a pen and a blank notecard to compose his own poem.

While reading poetry was one of Leo’s favorite things to do, actually writing it was an entirely different ordeal. It took the rest of the bus ride to come up with something, and even then he felt like throwing it out.

**_Your eyes, like blue giants in the celestial void, shine brighter than any star in the night sky._ **   
**_To even glimpse them, a privilege._ **   
**_To orbit, a gift._ **   
**_Your love, a treasure_ **

He hoped it would work, even though he thought it was awful.

He pocketed the card and wiped away the wetness from his eyes. When the bus arrived at school, Leo pushed his way out and nearly sprinted to his destination: Jim’s locker.

He slipped the note between the vent slots, then left for the cafeteria, hoping this wasn’t a mistake.

 

* * *

 

Leo nearly gnawed all his fingernails off in near-panic. He hadn’t been able to stomach anything, neither for lunch nor breakfast. His belly growled angrily, but he knew if he ate anything he’d probably throw it up.

There he sat in the library, waiting. Every second that passed without Jim felt like an eternity. If he didn’t show up, Calculus – and rugby practice – would be pure torture. Every few moments, Leo glanced up to the front doors, hoping Jim would pass through them. He must have read the same page of Spanish ten times when Jim finally entered the library, scanning the room. He started for Leo’s table after locking eyes, though he hesitated when he drew closer, before finally sitting across from him.

Not knowing where they stood, Leo could only wave, a tiny wave with barely anything behind it. Jim glanced up, not quite meeting his eyes and croaked out an awkward “Hi.”

Leo wanted the world to open up and swallow him whole, he was so nervous. “So um… how are you?”

“I’m – I’m good,” Jim murmured, drawing his finger along the tabletop. “I’m good.”

“Did you get the thing I…”

Jim opened his coat and took the note card out from his inner breast pocket – the one right over his heart, or maybe Leo was ascribing more symbolism behind it than there was. “Yeah.”

“Did – what did you think?”

The other man bit his lip and looked up to meet Leo’s eyes for the briefest of moments. “I loved it.”

Leo held back a whine – his mouth felt dry as a desert. “I’m – I’m glad you liked it.”

Neither of them spoke for a few moments, eyes darting to but not quite meeting the other.

“Can we talk about what happened?”

Jim looked over his shoulder – there were too many people nearby. “Not here. How about… uh… my car?”

The silence between them on the way to the parking lot was both a blessing and a curse – Leo didn’t want anyone hearing them, but saying _anything_ would have been better than total silence.

Jim unlocked his car and started for the driver’s seat, but changed his mind and sat in back. Leo sat on the other side, only for more silence to fall between them. He threw caution to the wind and finally spoke up. “I’m sorry for laughing.”

“It’s not just that,” Jim said. “I hurt her. I didn’t mean to, but I did. I don’t like hurting people, and on purpose or not, I hurt her feelings, and you just… laughed at me.”

Leo shook his head and replied, “No, no, I wasn’t laughing at you.”

Jim could only look at him, brows knitted. “What were you laughing at?”

“I just thought – I was like, ‘how is this my life, now?’ First the one girl, then someone asks to watch us make out, and then… that happened and I just – it was all too much.”

Jim twiddled his thumbs, looking down at the car seat. “You weren’t laughing at me?”

“No, I – in a situation like that, I’d never laugh at you, or at her.”

Leo’s stomach churned as Jim processed. He stayed quiet for a moment – Leo tried to have faith he was just thinking of what to say.

“It made me wonder about everything else I’ve said to anyone.”

“She did?”

“Yeah. If I hurt one person, I – it’s only reasonable to assume someone else was, too, and I just – I thought I was being friendly. I only ever flirted with you, I _promise,_ and if someone else… I don’t know. Are you okay?”

Leo laughed at that, then covered his mouth and apologized. “Sorry. I just – I can’t believe you’re asking if _I’m_ okay, after what happened.”

“Well…” Jim met his eyes. “ _Are_ you okay?”

Leo sighed – he really shouldn’t tell Jim. “No… I barely slept, I haven’t eaten. I think I bombed my exam.”

“How are you feeling?”

“I think – I dunno if I should tell you.”

Jim scooted a bit closer and met his eyes. “Please?”

Leo wrung his hands, and carried on. “I feel awful, like my gut’s being ripped out. The worst part was thinking, ‘this is it, he’s—’” He bit his lip as a rush of emotion – of longing, pain, and self-loathing – surged up from memory, tears threatening to spill. “’—he’s gonna break up with me,’” he choked out, unable to keep his voice level.

Jim’s jaw dropped, his eyes wide with shock. “No, no, Leo I – don’t cry, please don’t cry.”

Watching Jim’s eyes water was the catalyst that sent Leo over. A few tears dripped down his cheeks at the sight of Jim so raw and concerned even while they were fighting, and he gave a tiny gasp.

“I can’t be the one to make you cry,” Jim wailed, pulling Leo into a tight hug. Leo gratefully wrapped around him, burying his face in Jim’s neck. He felt hot tears hit his shoulder, and Jim sniffled. “You’re my lion-hearted boy… please don’t cry.”

Jim held him tighter and tighter, rocking them back and forth. His boyfriend’s warm embrace was enough to calm his nerves. He let out a whimper and a watery gasp, and Jim stroked down his back.

“I promised I wouldn’t hurt you and—” A splatter of tears hit Leo’s neck. “I broke it. I made a promise and I broke it. I’m so sorry.”

Leo burrowed deeper in Jim’s neck and breathed deep his woody smell. Jim seemed to be doing the same, nuzzling Leo’s shoulder as he petted him.

“It’s okay,” he wheezed. He could barely understand himself.

“No it’s not, don’t say that, it’s _not._ ”

They clung to each other for a few moments in silence.

“I’m sorry I laughed. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course I forgive you,” Jim whispered. “I’m sorry I broke my promise.”

Leo took a wet inhale and nodded into Jim’s neck. “I forgive you.”

Jim gave a deep sigh and kissed Leo’s neck. “I love you, Leo. We’re gonna be okay.”

“We’re okay,” he repeated. “I love you, Jim.”

When they finally separated after a few more minutes of holding and stroking each other, Jim pushed Leo’s hair back and kissed his forehead. “Anything else hurt?”

“Well… the—”

The school bell interrupted him. They had five minutes to get to class.

“Oh, we should—”

Jim laid a hand on Leo’s shoulder. “This is more important than class. Let’s finish up and then we can go together. What were you saying?”

“I – it’s kind of stupid.”

“Tell me anyway,” he said, with a stroke to Leo’s bicep, melting his resistance.

“Um, back in the library, after the – the thing happened, you mimicked me and—”

Jim cupped his cheeks and gave him a soft kiss to stop him mid-sentence. “You have an adorable laugh.” Leo nearly choked at the sight of those beautiful eyes full of sincerity and concern. “Don’t ever hide your laugh, just because I said something stupid in a moment of anger.”

Leo’s lips curled up in a half-smile – the dreadful chill was lifting, though the sickness lingered and probably would for a while.

“Do you wanna go to the gym today, since we didn’t yesterday?”

He nodded enthusiastically – not going to the gym felt weird now after working out so often. Normally it was a good way to get out of his head, and he always felt better after a good exercise session.

“I’m gonna come home with you after for some TLC, okay?”

“Okay.” Leo wiped his face with a sleeve of his coat. “Am I presentable?”

“Am I?” Jim asked, as he scrutinized Leo’s face for any dishevelment. He brushed something away from Leo’s cheeks and straightened his collar. “You look gorgeous,” he murmured, before pressing a kiss to Leo’s cheek.

Jim – somehow – evaded the usual mess that came after a good cry. Leo dabbed his face with the corner of his sleeve, but Jim looked ready to face the world. “Alright, let’s get this over with.”

Side by side, they left for Calculus. Before stepping through the front doors of the school, Leo reached for Jim’s hand and twined their fingers together. Jim glanced up at him in surprise, his gaze flicking between their joined hands and Leo’s face. After a moment of watching their hands swing together he broke into a smile.

While the walk to class certainly felt perilous – and Leo felt like the victim of every stray gaze he thought he saw out of the corner of his eyes – the warmth of his boyfriend’s hand clenching his gave him the bravery needed to proudly step into Calculus hand in hand and huddle together at their desk.

 

* * *

 

Practice was as uneventful as usual, all of Leo’s attention consumed by his trio of players. That is, until team members started wandering up to him and actually talking to him, an event far from ordinary.

Rogers came up to him and opened his mouth, apparently thought better, and instead asked, “How are ya?” to which Leo gave a canned response, still a bit put off by Rogers in general. Vastagh gave him a wave, too – a pleasant surprise.

Not even twenty minutes after practice began, Chris sat down next to Leo, leaning his weight on the cane between his legs. He cleared his throat and looked sideways at Leo. “So I hear you and Jim are a thing.”

Leo’s gut clenched – Chris was the closest Jim had to a father figure. If he were the overprotective sort—

“I’ve never seen him so happy in all my years of knowing him.”

Leo turned to stare at him as Chris eyed Jim on the field with a proud gaze. “Really?”

“Yeah. The poor guy was a mess right out of juvie. Took me a while to turn him around. He’s not an easy one to wrangle.”

“Well, yeah, have you seen him?”

Chris gave him a confused look – there was some gray in his eyebrows, Leo noticed. “That’s not – nevermind. What I mean to say is… I thought what I’d do was give you the ol’ ‘don’t break his heart’ speech, but the more I thought about it, the less it seemed like I needed to. I’ve seen how you look at him, and when I found out about the two of you, those looks made a lot more sense. So, thank you, for bringing a smile to his face.”

Leo’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “I – I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

Chris gave him a pat to the back. “No, thank you, Leo.”

Leo’s attention piqued – Chris called him ‘Leo’. Not ’Leonard’. Not ’McCoy.’ Before he could formulate a question, Chris wandered off to give more tailored instruction to some team members who were lagging in their routine.

At break, everyone filed in for water like usual, until only Jim remained. He, curiously, sat down next to Leo, his breath coming in pants.

“Hey,” he huffed.

“Hi,” Leo answered with a smile.

“I love you,” Jim said, a tiny smile playing at his lips.

“Huh? Where’d that come from?”

“Oh, I—” Jim shrugged “I dunno, I was just thinking about you out on the field.”

Leo ducked his head, trying to hide a blush from everyone else. “Shouldn’t you be thinking about the game, or practice?” he mumbled. Jim only smiled wider.

“I can’t think about someone I care for while out on the field?”

Leo doodled on his clipboard and shrugged, his lips curling up against his will. “I don’t see why not, I just – I dunno.”

“Come on, Leo, love can bloom on the battlefield.”

Leo stitched his brow and smacked Jim’s bicep with the broad side of the clipboard. “It’s a football field, you dork.”

Jim grinned wider as Leo chuckled. He stroked a hand down his back, patting when he reached the small. “I gotta get back to practice. Don’t forget – I’m coming home with you.”

“How could I?” When Jim stood to leave for the field again, Leo reached for him, only to fall short. “Wait, Jim.”

“Yeah?” he asked, turning around again.

“I love you, too.”

Jim broke into a sunny grin. “I know.”

Then he left to run drills with the others.

 

* * *

 

Their workout didn’t last as long as usual. It was, however, full of little, soothing touches whenever possible; a touch to Leo’s shoulder, his bicep, the small of his back, the nape of his neck. Every touch sent a shiver of warmth up Leo’s spine, a tiny reminder they were okay – that they as a couple would be okay.

After, Jim dropped him off to retrieve his car. The entire drive home, Leo’s heart raced with anticipation, wondering what exactly Jim had in store for him as part of their ‘TLC’. Jim awaited him on the porch, and while Leo fiddled with the keys he smiled – a warm, soft curl of lips that put Leo’s heart at ease.

Once inside, Leo greeted his father – who asked how the exam went – and his mother – who eyed Jim with slight disdain.

“She’ll come around eventually,” Leo heard his father whisper to Jim.

Leo was starting to doubt that. Eleanora still barely spoke to Leo, seeming to indulge herself in church functions more often than ever before. He preferred not to think about his mother’s distance – it only made him think of Jim’s mother, which made him think of other things Jim didn’t have in his life, and that wasn’t a road he liked going down. He preferred to give to Jim than think about what he didn’t have.

After a brief conversation with his father, they retreated to Leo’s room. Jim locked the door behind him, then approached Leo and cupped his neck. He brought their foreheads together and stroked Leo’s jaw with a tiny smile.

“How’re you feeling?” Jim asked quietly.

“Um…” Leo took a moment to do an emotional inventory. “A little nervous, a little excited. I still feel kinda sick…”

“Maybe you’ll feel better after a shower?”

Jim led Leo to the bathroom, stripping their clothing one article at a time, agonizingly slow. While the water warmed up, Jim hugged him against his chest, uncaring about the sheen of workout sweat or the smell of teenage boy they both gave off. He swayed slightly back and forth, burrowing his scruffy chin into Leo’s shoulder.

Leo was the first into the shower, by Jim’s silent demand of gently pushing him in. The hot water was a welcome presence, drowning out thoughts other than of Jim. Jim followed and grabbed the shower gel – Leo’s favorite, a peppermint extract the salon dermatologist had suggested.

Jim lathered up the gel into a thick foam. “Tilt your head back,” he murmured.

Leo bared his neck for Jim, who stroked down the muscle – gently, reverently. It always felt like he exposed a great weakness whenever he did this, but Jim always touched him with the greatest of care.

Jim’s hands stroked up and down his neck and Leo gave a tiny, content whimper. The hot water pounding against his back loosened every stiff joint he had, and the soft touch of his boyfriend reduced him to goo between Jim’s fingers.

Jim skated his hands down Leo’s pecs, soaping away the sweat and carding through his chest hair. He spoke nary a word, opting for significant looks, eyes as dazzling as blue diamonds gazing into Leo’s, looking at him as if no one else existed. The scent of peppermint filled the shower as Jim gave a few gentle pets to Leo’s belly, fingertips playing over his furry skin. When he stroked Leo’s cock, it somehow didn’t come across as a sexual touch.

Jim was showing him appreciation not with words, but with his hands.

Leo closed his eyes and leaned into Jim when Jim pulled him into a hug to wash his back, stroking his hands over Leo’s muscles down to his butt. Leo curled around him too, but started a bit when Jim tickled him between Leo’s ass cheeks, all the while giving tiny kisses to Leo’s cheek and neck.

After a rinse, Jim worked Leo’s shampoo into big suds and massaged his scalp while Leo started soaping Jim.

The streams playing over his boyfriend’s muscled, furry body twisted golden hair into lines parted by rivers of water. Jim sighed as Leo ghosted his fingertips between the dips of his abs and over his beautiful body fur. Jim gave him a soft kiss – a short press of lips that left Leo wanting more – and tilted his head back under the water to rinse away the suds.

“C’mere,” he whispered. Leo wrapped around Jim – who nuzzled into his shoulder – to wash his back. Leo recently discovered Jim liked the light tickle from working his fingers into the crease of his butt and the base of his spine. Long after the soap was gone, Leo still massaged his glutes as Jim hugged him.

He should have felt bad about how much hot water they used, but with Jim holding him, stroking his back, and petting his hair, it was the last thing on his mind.

Jim finally shut off the water and patted Leo dry with a big, fluffy towel. He ruffled Leo’s hair with it and grinned as Leo dried him off, too.

In his room, Jim dug around in the dresser for some underwear, taking out two pairs. Jim apparently enjoyed sharing clothing and pulled on one of Leo’s pairs. Something stirred deep in Leo’s gut at the sight of his underwear stretching over his boyfriend’s crotch, almost struggling to contain his cock and gorgeous ass.

Jim sat down on the couch and guided Leo to straddle his lap. “You’re amazing, you know that?” he whispered. He trailed his fingertips over Leo’s chest, glancing up and down between his eyes and his fingers playing over Leo’s sternum. A finger wandered over to a nipple and rubbed the tender flesh before his palm settled over Leo’s pec. “You’re my best friend, Leo.” Jim’s hands traveled down to pet his belly. “My favorite person. To be with, to talk to.”

Leo took a deep breath to try to stave off tears.

“My lover.” Jim pressed a long kiss to Leo’s sternum, right over his heart, and a few drops fell down Leo’s cheeks. Jim paid no mind to the tears other than to brush them away with his thumbs. “We’re okay. We’ll be better than okay, soon.”

Leo shut his eyes, sending more water down his face, and nodded.

“I’m gonna do better, for you. I swear.”

Jim suddenly shifted Leo off his lap to trade places. Jim’s lips met his, warm and soft and chaste – a kiss of lovers, rather than of foreplay. He cupped Leo’s forehead and tilted his head back to kiss his neck, little presses of lips that made Leo feel vulnerable all over again.

The heavy weight on him shifted, and Jim’s lips trailed lower. He kissed Leo’s chest and his pecs, carding his fingers through his hair. They definitely weren’t foreplay kisses – they felt like kisses only a cherished partner would give, full of promise and adoration, instead of animal hunger.

Jim climbed off him and knelt on the floor, then pressed his lips to Leo’s belly. No matter what Jim did, it didn’t feel like he wanted something from Leo. Not even when he pulled at Leo’s waistband, nor when he kissed under his belly button, nor when Jim kissed his thighs. The look Jim gave him spoke of so much feeling for Leo it twisted something in his chest in the best sort of way.

When Jim wrestled Leo’s underwear away from him, he gave Leo’s cock a light stroke. Without a word, he kissed Leo’s legs and peppered his manhood with gentle touches of lips.

He gripped Leo’s hand and laced their fingers together, resting their joined hands on Leo’s belly. He trailed a finger along the dense line of hair traveling up from his cock, the soft touch a slight tickle. In his other hand he cupped Leo’s balls, forefinger and thumb wrapped around the base of his cock in a ring. Leo’s heart beat a frantic pace and his belly heaved when Jim drew his cock between his lips to slowly suck him and wet his length.

“Oh, Jim,” Leo sighed.

Leo could barely breathe; the way Jim sucked his dick was somehow so incredibly sweet. He had no idea how Jim made a normally dirty act into something so tender, but he accomplished it. Leo brought a hand up to cradle the side of Jim’s face as Jim took him deep and gazed into his eyes, giving and giving, asking for nothing. Even though Jim tried to work out a load of Leo’s jizz to eat, Leo felt so deeply loved – so deeply wanted – it nearly brought him to tears again. With how he blew him, the only thing Jim could possibly be doing was trying to say he’s sorry.

It was so ‘Jim’ to apologize with sex, but what an apology it was. Leo let his head loll to the side as Jim slid up and down his cock, swallowing around the head. He pulled off to kiss the crown and sucked on the tip for a moment, before letting Leo slip from between his lips with a pop, hitting his belly with a soft slap. He whimpered when Jim sucked one of his nuts between his lips, the slick heat so incredible he could have shot all over his stomach right there if he weren’t trying so hard to last. Sucking became kissing, became sucking again and then Jim engulfed his cock once more. Leo cupped the back of Jim’s head to let his hand ride him as he bobbed his head.

Release came far sooner than Leo wanted. “I’m gonna cum,” he murmured. He took deep, calming breaths to try to stave it off, and Jim’s hand rode his tummy, still stroking the furry muscle. The force of his orgasm punched all the air out of Leo’s lungs as he throbbed between Jim’s lips and fingers. He bit his lip and huffed out his nose; it felt _wonderful_ to have Jim slurp up and down his cock as he shot in his boyfriend’s mouth.

Jim pulled off to mouth at the crown and Leo watched a couple strings of thick cum shoot all over the densest part of his fur. More dribbled out over the head as Jim kissed the tip, lapping up as much as he could get, the last few big drops of cum dripping on his fingers. He licked the head of Leo’s dick through the few aftershocks, cleaning him off before sucking cum off his fingers. To clean Leo’s belly, he mouthed at the thick hair to kiss off the jizz, tiny licks tickling him.

Leo petted Jim’s head in a daze as he cleaned him off. Watching Jim eat his cum was so much more erotic than just knowing he had swallowed him down; now he could actually _see_ Jim eating it, could _see_ him swallowing it down. It was so incredibly satisfying, like a gentle stroke to the nameless animal in him, the primal desire for Jim that shuddered with satisfaction whenever Jim took him deep or ate his semen. His mind went blank as he watched his boyfriend – his best friend and lover – suck his manhood.

Deep down to the core, Leo knew Jim had never been more sincere; he gave without expectation or even desire of anything in return. All Leo had to do was look down to see Jim’s cock hard as a rock, his dick having somehow worked its way through the slit in Leo’s underwear to leak precum on the carpet, but he suspected if he were to offer anything, Jim would refuse.

When Jim swallowed down the last few drops of cum, he gave a few more wet sucks to Leo’s cock – he twitched from the sensation – before pulling Leo’s boxers back up to cover him. He tucked himself away and picked Leo up, wrapping around him to bring them over to the bed and bury them both under the covers. Strong, warm muscle curled around him, both of them smelling of relaxing peppermint, as Jim cradled Leo against his chest.

“I love you,” he whispered, gently kissing the side of Leo’s face and stroking down his back. Leo hugged him as tight as he could without squeezing Jim’s lungs empty.

Leo could only hope the vacation he had planned would show Jim just how much he meant to Leo.

They lay together in a half-sleep, giving each other soft kisses in silence until a quiet knock roused them.

“Supper, boys!”

With a nervous laugh and a shared look, they dressed each other and meandered out of Leo’s room toward the kitchen. Eleanora had prepared barbequed ribs, spicy cornbread, and southern green beans, all of which sat hot and steaming in the center of the table.

While David sat at the head of the table, beaming at them, Eleanora stewed on something at his side, barely containing a glare leveled directly at Jim.

“Ribs, dear?” she asked Leo.

“Uh, sure.”

She tilted her head down to look at Leo over her glasses. “Leonard…”

“Yes please.”

Eleanora sliced some ribs off – with a knife sharp enough to make Leo fidget in his seat, considering the glower she sometimes aimed Jim’s way – and carefully set it on Leo’s plate. When she glanced at Jim, he withered slightly under the stare.

“Um, may I have some too?”

Without a word, she cut off a few bones worth and let it drop from a few inches up onto Jim’s plate with a clang.

“Elly,” David sternly warned.

“Yes, dear?”

Leo cleared his throat as he spooned a piece of cornbread onto his plate and passed a piece to Jim.

Eleanora didn’t do nearly a good enough job of withholding her contempt for Jim than anyone else in the room wished she did. It made dinner in the same room as his parents an uncomfortable affair.

Considering the fact that not twenty minutes ago, Jim had lovingly eaten an entire load of Leo’s cum – by sucking and licking it out of him so thoroughly he hadn’t been able to string more than three words together – Leo wasn’t able to meet Eleanora’s eyes. His belly was still a bit sticky, and the sense memory all too fresh in his mind came rushing back.

Crossing his legs under the table was the only recourse to hide his boner as the vision of his cock throbbing between Jim’s lips as he shot all over himself forced its way to the forefront of his mind.

“These, uh… ribs are delicious, Elly,” David said around a mouthful of meat.

“Why thank you. I used my usual recipe.”

“They’re delicious, Mrs. McCoy,” Jim added. Jim already had sauce all over his fingers, and some on his lips from gnawing the meat off the bone. Leo started on the green beans as the table fell into silence.

“So um…” David began a few moments later. “How did AP exams go?”

“Um, good,” Jim mumbled. “Really good.”

“When do you get scores again?” he drawled. “July?”

Leo nodded in agreement. “Yeah, July.”

“Well that’s a shame. Would be nice to know my son an’ his boyfriend—” Eleanora coughed at the mention of the word. “—got a good score before school lets out.”

Leo glanced up to meet his father’s gaze, only to see the piercing stare of his mother instead. Again, Leo hoped that mind-reading wasn’t possible. Maybe she somehow knew anyway.

Maybe she had a sixth sense for knowing exactly when people just had sex.

A light stroke to Leo’s knee grabbed his attention. To his side, Jim met his eyes and petted his knee again.

“Elly, you uh… how’s um… work?”

“Good. It’s goin’ good.”

Silence.

At least Eleanora still prepared food as if four would be eating. Jim shoveled cornbread, southern beans, and spicy ribs down his gullet like he’d not get to eat until next week. Leo had no idea how Jim had withstood plain meals for so long. He supposed he _had_ to. At least his family had intervened; the idea of Jim going back to bland, soulless, canned food made Leo feel queasy.

Another touch to his knee, this time a light tap. He glanced over at Jim who made the ‘help me’ face.

Leo shot back a ‘what?’ face.

Jim’s eyes darted over to where Leo’s mom sat; her glare could make a hardened criminal back down and flee.

‘What do you want me to do about it?’

‘ _Anything,_ ’ Jim implored, his eyes widely pleading.

“I think I’m done with dinner. May I be excused?”

“Sure,” David said, smiling at Leo as if nothing were wrong.

Leo took his plate in one hand and awkwardly took Jim’s shoulder in the other. “Come on,” he murmured, guiding Jim to the sink to deposit their dishes before retreating to Leo’s room.

The moment they sat down on Leo’s bed, Jim buried his face in his hands and whined. “Why does your mom hate me?”

“She doesn’t hate you,” Leo said, patting Jim’s shoulder.

“Yeah, right, you saw how she looked at me. I hate eating dinner with her, I always feel like she’s trying to set me on fire with her mind.”

As much as Leo wished he could say otherwise, the looks she threw Jim were certainly leaning toward ‘evil.’

“My mom doesn’t care, your mom wishes I’d leave forever—”

“No she doesn’t.”

Jim sighed. “Earlier your dad told me she’d ‘come around eventually.’ Like, I can deal with random people hating me because I’m gay, but… your mom? That hurts. That _really_ hurts.”

“Oh, Jim,” Leo murmured. He curled around Jim from behind and stroked his belly. “Papa’s workin’ on it.”

“At least _he_ likes me. But you have to live with your mom judging you. At least Frank is never fucking home.”

“It’ll be okay. Her opinion don’t matter.” Oh how he wished he could believe that himself.

Jim gave a noisy exhale and leaned back into Leo. “Yeah, I guess. I think I gave up on my mom a while ago, to be honest.”

“How often do you talk to her?”

Jim twined their fingers together, holding Leo’s hand against his stomach. “Every few weeks.”

Leo had no idea how often parents employed by the military could contact family members, but… that didn’t sound like often enough, and certainly not as often as possible. Jim’s mother barely deserved the moniker ‘mom.’

“Let’s just… not talk about this. Can we watch a movie, or something?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Actually…” Jim started, bringing Leo closer again when Leo pulled his arms away. “Would you, uh… be interested in something a bit different?”

Leo’s brow shot up in interest. Jim had blown him almost an hour ago, but then again—

“Would you… read to me?”

_Far_ more tame than what Leo had expected. “I – yeah, sure.”

“It’s weird. We don’t have to, just forget—”

“No,” Leo interrupted, wrapping tighter around Jim. “It just took me by surprise. Go pick out a book.”

Jim nearly leapt across the room to Leo’s bookshelf and perused it for a time before settling on _Vile Bodies_.

“This ol’ thing?” Leo asked, when Jim gingerly handed him the book. “I thought you’ve read it.”

“Yeah, but it’s one of my favorites,” Jim said as he flopped onto Leo’s bed, his back against the wall. He patted the spot next to him. When Leo lay down, Jim curled around him and pillowed his head on Leo’s shoulder. It was a little awkward for reading, but it was certainly cozy. With Leo’s arm around his back, and Jim around his chest, Jim felt like a big, warm teddy bear.

Leo cleared his throat and began. “ _It was clearly going to be a bad crossing. With Asiatic resignation Father Rothschild S. J. put down his suitcase in the corner of the bar…_ ”


	28. Chapter 28

Leo’s week kept getting better and better.

On Wednesday, they got funny looks in Chemistry. Surely everyone knew they were dating now, had heard of their very public kiss, and had formed their own judgments. Try as he might, Leo couldn’t shake the feeling of being judged with every glance his way.

In between classes, however, he bravely held Jim’s hand, doing his best to ignore the rabble – and improving at it with every passing moment.

The day really tanked during their rugby match, when Leo heard a pained cry come from the field within the first twenty minutes. It didn’t sound like Jim – he felt a bit guilty for being thankful that it wasn’t. Indeed, when two officials assisted Krantz, one of their forwards, in hobbling to the table, his suspicions were confirmed.

“Ankle hurts, twisted it,” he gritted out.

“Probably a sprain,” the Athletics therapist whispered to Leo. “Get the compress and brace ready. Remember, RICE.”

Rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

As much as Leo wished he could say otherwise, he wasn’t allowed to treat anyone injured by himself, as he wasn’t a licensed Athletics therapist. Ultimately his role on the team was less medic and more water boy and equipment mule.

At least Chris (and by proxy, his back) thanked him regularly.

“Oop, someone’s going in the sin bin,” said the therapist, who looked outside at the action.

Another player caused this injury, in that case. Someone being carded gave their team a distinct advantage; any carded players were off the field for two minutes, bringing the players on the pitch to seven versus six.

Once Krantz was comfortable and his ankle elevated, Leo stripped the cleat and sock off and pulled the compression wrap over it. “We’re gonna compress your ankle and ice it, alright? You need to stay off it for a while.”

“Uh huh,” Krantz groaned out.

While the therapist prepared a chemical ice pack, Leo fished out a brace for Krantz.

“We’ll be givin’ you a few exercises to help the recovery process. I can’t say how long it will take to be able to play again.”

Krantz groaned again, louder this time. “But championships are next week!”

“No buts, you’re off this ankle until it heals.”

Judging by the cheering Leo heard a few minutes later, someone scored. Were he going strictly by the odds from number of players, he’d put money on his team. While adjusting the ice pack, he managed a look out to the scoreboard to see the score was ten to three.

While showing Krantz how to put the brace on himself, he heard more cheering. Thirteen to three.

“Somebody’s getting carded!” the therapist said in a melodious sing song tone.

Leo watched an opposing player take the walk of shame back to the locker room. He had a red and yellow card in hand – the opposing team was permanently down a player, leaving them at seven to six until the end of the game.

“Good thing, too, he was playing really aggressively. Don’t need him going after people like that.”

At least Jim hadn’t fallen victim to anything.

“Hey, you’re dating the captain, right?” Krantz asked, one of the longer sentences he’d managed since Leo applied the ice.

Leo hesitated, giving the young man a once over. He didn’t seem to be preparing to lob anything hateful at him, rather he looked at Leo with curiosity. “Yeah. Why?”

“Always wondered about the looks he gave you when you weren’t watching.”

His interest piqued immediately, an eyebrow going skyward. “Oh?”

“Yeah, like. I dunno how to put it to words. Now that I know, it’s like… I’d never seen him look at anyone that way.” Krantz ducked his head and scratched his leg. “You seem like a good guy, Bones. Wish I had thought so sooner. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t – don’t worry about it.” When Krantz said ‘Bones,’ it was with far less enmity than Leo had come to expect. Perhaps it even had a bit of fondness to it.

No, probably his imagination.

“Nah, man, you don’t deserve half the crap I know everyone gives you.”

“On the team?”

“No, the school.”

“Yeah, well… It—” he stammered. No one had ever thought to show him much of any interest at all.

“Don’t tell me no one has ever said that.”

Leo gazed sadly at the dirt floor of the tent. “Only Jim.”

Krantz sighed, though it sounded compassionate, rather than pitying.

He didn’t say anything else.

 

* * *

 

“Good news!” Jim bellowed as he jogged in the medical tent. “We won!”

“Really?” Leo exclaimed. “That’s great!”

“They put up a good fight, though. Twenty-six to twenty.” Jim wiped away sweat from his brow and took a swig from a water bottle. When he waved Leo over, he followed until they were out of earshot of Krantz. “How’s Victor doing?”

Leo glanced back, and shook his head. “I’m not allowed to say one way or the other.”

The athletic therapist had told Leo she expected Krantz to make a full recovery, but as a grade II sprain, he’d be out for the rest of the season and part of summer.

“Can he – can he play next week?” Jim said, shrinking back with trepidation.

“No. I can tell you that much.” Any further play would just tear the ligaments more, and possibly ruin any chance of regaining functionality.

“Oh. Is he okay?” Jim sounded so small Leo felt a twinge in his chest.

“He’s fine, but I can’t tell you what happened. You’ll have to ask him. Medical policy.”

“Geez, it’s like you’re a doctor already. Okay.”

Jim walked over to Krantz as if he’d startle him if his approach were too quick. Leo watched him drag over a chair and talk to him, low enough that Leo couldn’t hear them.

Observing them gave Leo another window into the mind of Jim Kirk, who not only was a tender and caring boyfriend, but a captain concerned and protective of his team.

After a few minutes of conversation – during which Leo filled out injury documentation – Jim strode over to him again.

“I have chores I need to do when I get home.”

“Anything I can help with?” Leo asked.

“Um…” Jim shuffled his feet, and Leo zeroed in on the nervous gesture. “No, not really.”

“Okay.”

“Sorry. I’ll see you on the bus.”

“Jim? Are you okay?”

“Uh…” Jim refused to meet his eyes for a moment before finally looking at him. “Yeah. I’ll be fine,” he said. “Just kind of sucks when one of your guys gets injured. He isn’t taking it well, so… I’m not either.”

“Aw…” Leo frowned and watched Jim pick his nails. “Well…”

“Don’t worry,” Jim said with a smile as he patted Leo’s arm. “I’ll be fine.”

“Well… okay. I’ll see you on the bus.”

 

* * *

 

Normally he had an iron grip on his sexual appetite – that’s what he told himself anyway.

Sometimes, however, Jim was too irresistible.

There wasn’t anything particularly different about their workout, or even about that Thursday in general, but every time Leo looked at Jim, his heart skipped a beat.

Maybe it was his golden hair in the bright light, or his enormous muscles bulging with every weight he lifted, or the sheen of sweat coating him. Maybe it was the thought of that beautiful body under his hands, Jim’s thick cock on his tongue, those perfect pink lips parted as he whispered a litany of love for him.

Maybe it was _all the above._

It came to a head while they were sparring after Jim decided to remove his sweaty shirt. Just the sight of Jim’s furry six pack and his heaving chest flush from exertion was enough to send Leo into a frenzy.

Leo was a lover, not a fighter; rather than assume a stance and throw a punch, he crowded into Jim’s personal space – a misnomer, considering how much they shared it with each other. It took Jim so off guard he nearly stumbled back into a wall mirror.

“Leo?”

“Be quiet, darlin’,” he whispered, laying a finger on Jim’s lips to silence him. He trailed it down Jim’s chin and ghosted it down his neck. Jim shivered under him when Leo drew lazy circles on his bare bicep. “Someone might hear.”

Lazy circles became smoothing a palm over his pec to feel the sweaty fur. Jim twitched when a finger caught a nipple. The strong heart beating under his fingers raced at a jackrabbit pace, and a sigh escaped from the other man’s lips when Leo stroked the back of his neck. Cerulean eyes searched his as Leo gazed down at Jim’s parted lips.

Parted lips that Leo brought to his in a hungry kiss.

Jim moaned under Leo’s lips as his tongue poked into Jim’s mouth. Leo clutched him tight, a hand reaching around to bring their hips together. He felt Jim’s cock harden and press against his own erection.

A light tug on Jim’s hair made him bare his neck to Leo, a sight that stirred a wild hunger deep in his gut. Rather than return to Jim’s lips now slightly swollen from nibbling, he kissed the hollow of Jim’s throat, mouthing up to lick at the thick muscle. Jim swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing under Leo’s tongue. As Leo kissed right under Jim’s jaw, he cupped the back of Jim’s head, cradling it as Jim let out a breath through pursed lips. He lavished his best friend’s neck with soft kisses until Jim was putty under his fingers.

Leo drew away to gaze into Jim’s eyes, then crushed their mouths together again.

The noises Jim made as Leo kissed him were _wonderful_ – soft, needy noises that begged Leo for more, made Leo want to fulfill his every wish. Burly arms curled around him and Jim pulled off Leo’s shirt, bringing sweaty skin flush against sweaty skin.

Leo trailed a hand down Jim’s chest to stroke his pecs again. “God, the things you do to me,” he murmured.

Jim shuddered and pulled him closer. Every inch of furry skin touching his was a sizzling point of contact that only made him harder.

“We’re going home,” Jim growled.

They could make up for the short workout later.

Their only recourse to hiding their erections was the oft-trusted tucking it into their waistbands to hide them as best they could while heading for the locker room.

Changing took far too long. Every few moments Leo had the urge to take Jim’s mouth again despite the onlookers.

Driving home was nearly as bad.

“You’re not going home?”

“I’m goin’ to your house,” Leo drawled. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jim palming his cock trying to give himself some relief from the onslaught of arousal. “No one to interrupt us there.”

Finally, they arrived at Jim’s house after several red lights that felt far too long – Leo was half-tempted to complain to the city about them.

Getting to Jim’s bathroom involved clumsily stumbling around as they pulled off each other’s clothing, piece by piece, Leo not wanting to pull his lips away from Jim’s.

“God, Jim,” he huffed out, staring at the other man’s eyes blown wide with lust.

Once in the bathroom, they stripped the last few articles with near record speed and hurried under the water once it was hot, only to resume the make out session. Hands trailed down Leo’s back, ghosted over Jim’s broad body, stroked over each other’s hair. Leo dropped to his knees and mouthed at the base of Jim’s cock.

“Oh god, oh god,” Jim whispered when Leo pulled him between his lips, tasting and smelling his boyfriend’s rawest essence. He shuddered and cupped the back of Leo’s head as Leo slowly sucked his throbbing cock. Leo groaned around his lover’s manhood and tongued at the slit, getting a big bead of precum and swallowing down the salty fluid.

Despite his earlier enthusiasm, Leo wanted it to last. He dragged his lips and tongue over the veins, catching on the head of Jim’s dick. It was unbelievable how good Jim tasted. With a quiet slurping noise, he pulled off, gave the length a stroke, and licked off another drop of precum. “C’mon, gimme a big load.”

Jim gasped when Leo took him in again; he trailed a finger along Leo’s lower lip to feel his cock slide into his mouth. All Leo wanted was to swallow Jim down, shove himself to the hilt and make Jim fill his throat with cum. He nearly lost himself in the act, existence narrowing to Jim and his dick, pleasing him becoming his only goal in life. His heart swelled when Jim stroked his cheek, gazing into his eyes as Leo laved his tongue along the underside of Jim’s thick cock.

He just started pulling himself particularly deep when Jim suddenly pulled him off with a noisy slurp and froze.

“Why’d you stop, I wanted to—”

“Shh!” Jim insisted, head turned to listen somewhere. “Shut off the water, quick.”

Leo wasn’t one to argue when Jim seemed so distraught. Once the water was off, Leo heard what Jim had – footsteps.

“Oh no,” Jim said. “I forgot he was coming today!”

“Who?”

“Frank!”

Already chill from the water still clinging to him, Leo could have frozen to death then and there from how cold he felt. “I didn’t bring any spare clothes, I planned on goin’ to my house.”

“Me too. Just – I don’t know, take mine!”

Leo’s jaw dropped as he gaped at Jim. Any other time he’d be turned on at the sight of the rivulets of water rolling down his muscles; now, however, it was potent fodder for Frank’s repulsive bigotry.

“But what about—”

“Just do it!” he hissed.

After hastily drying off, Jim snuck out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him and leaving Leo alone with nothing but a towel. The memory of their clothing strewn about the house, leading from the hallway to the bathroom hit him, and he wished Jim hadn’t left without him.

After a few moments, Jim returned with two sets of clothing. He handed one to Leo and started pulling the other on. Leo didn’t have any time to feel disappointed that he hadn’t gotten to suck a load out of his boyfriend.

Jim’s clothes were too loose. His pants constantly slipped down Leo’s hips, and the shirt went past the waistband. Still, it was infinitely better than nothing.

“Okay, just… don’t say anything to him. He won’t do anything with a guest over.”

Leo nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. “Okay.”

They left the bathroom, Jim dragging him by the wrist – tightly, as if he were afraid of letting go – and entered the kitchen, where Frank sat at the table, fiddling with a smartphone.

Frank seemed innocuous enough; perhaps that was the worst part. He looked nothing like Jim, however. He had a broad, pronounced nose, dark, curly hair, and a round, pudgy face – nothing at all like Jim’s sharp jawline or blond locks. He was bigger than either man, though in an overweight sense – a side effect of drinking, no doubt.

He paid neither of them any mind as he toyed with his phone, until he spoke. “James, what’s all that all over the floor along the hallway?” It was a near growl, and Leo wasn’t sure if it was naturally like that – an abrasive tone like listening to sandpaper, were sandpaper able to speak – or if he was angry.

“Sorry sir, I’ll get it.”

While Jim collected their clothing, Leo stared at Frank, who hadn’t even glanced up at him, still engrossed in whatever he was doing. A slight tremor afflicted one of his hands as he typed.

When Jim returned, he stood at Leo’s side, spine ramrod straight.

“Who’s this?”

“His name is Leonard.”

“Oh. Your… boyfriend, right.”

Leo stared in horror as he watched Jim shut down in Frank’s presence. He seemed almost haunted; it was such a radical departure from the normally virile and personable man, Leo could barely contain his burning contempt for Jim’s pathetic excuse for an uncle. Usually, even in the presence of others, Leo would throw Jim a small smile and Jim would grin back, or Jim would leave a little, gentle touch somewhere like his shoulder or lower back. Now, however, he kept his body rigid and his expression as impassive as possible.

Raw hate boiled under the surface, only kept at bay by the knowledge that Leo’s presence alone kept everything civil. At least there was that.

As long as Leo was around, he could protect Jim.

“C’mon, sit, this isn’t the military.”

They took a seat at the table across from Jim’s abuser. Leo laid a palm over Jim’s, lacing their fingers together under the table. Jim squeezed back tight.

“How’s school going?”

“Good. We had AP exams this week,” Jim replied, tone as neutral as possible.

“How’d that go?” Frank muttered, clearly not engaged in the conversation, as if he only asked for formality’s sake.

“Really well.”

“Uh huh. Whadja get?”

“We won’t know until July.”

“Shame.”

After a moment of silence, Leo froze when Frank finally glanced up at him with beady, light green eyes. Frank searched him for a few agonizing moments before flicking his gaze between the two of them.

“Leonard, right? You seem… nice.”

He wracked his brain for an escape plan, though he was so nervous around Frank that barely anything at all came to mind.

“Called your mom, lately?”

Jim nodded after a moment. “Yeah, uh… last week.”

Frank grunted, completely unfazed by this information. Every second that passed, the tension built, a near-desperate need to escape, until—

“Jim, did you get the thing we needed for the project?”

Jim turned to look at him, brow knitted in confusion. Leo made the face for ‘play along’ and realization dawned on him. “No, I’ll go get it now. The rest is at your house, right?”

“Yeah.” They stood to leave, and Leo offered a hand to Frank even though every nerve in his body screamed not to. “It was nice meeting you, sir.”

Frank didn’t even notice the hand outstretched for him, and Leo gratefully departed without having to touch his clammy-looking palms or clubbed fingers.

“Thanks,” Jim murmured once they were in his room. “Guess I need to figure out something for our ‘project.’”

Leo took a cursory look around the room; there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Jim’s sad, outdated computer sat in the corner, posters of nebulae hung from the walls, among the picture frames of buildings Leo noticed one or two new ones. The only thing he could think of was…

“Just… grab a book, I guess.”

Jim searched his bookshelf until he found a dense Palahniuk. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m gonna put our clothes in the laundry, we’ll have to pick it up later.”

“When is Frank leaving?” Leo asked.

Jim scratched the back of his neck as he thought. “Um… I don’t know, he didn’t say in his last text.”

“You’re staying at my house in that case.”

Jim narrowed his gaze at Leo into a glare before relenting after a moment. “Yeah, okay.” Leo let out a held breath; thank God Jim was letting him help. Jim dug a duffel bag out of the closet and started packing clothes.

“Bring enough for our trip this weekend.”

Jim packed five changes of clothing and enough toiletries for a week. He locked his door behind them, then hastily walked out the front door without looking back.

“Bye,” Jim called out to Frank, who didn’t have the decency to respond.

Jim didn’t say a single word the entire ride to Leo’s house. Glancing at him didn’t tell him anything in particular about what could be going through Jim’s head.

While Leo closeted his shoes and coat in the foyer, Jim headed straight for his room to drop off his belongings. Leo smelled something like pizza. He wandered into the kitchen to see what it was and indeed, there was most of a pizza on the table. David sat at the head of the table with a newspaper.

“Hey,” Leo said.

David shook the newspaper open and glanced at Leo. After a moment of scrutiny, he gave Leo a funny look.

“What?”

“Those are not your clothes, young man.”

Leo’s eyes widened and a hot blush crept to his cheeks. David broke into laughter, a huge grin on his face. “Don’ worry ‘bout it, I won’t tell your mama.”

Leo groaned and covered his face with an arm. “Papaaaaaa.”

David’s laugh turned into an actual giggle, a high-pitched sort that Leo had never heard from him before.

“Ah, sheeit… haven’t laughed like that in years. I hope you don’t mind pizza; Elly’s workin’ late so I jus’ ordered one.”

How serendipitous that right after meeting Frank, Leo had Jim’s favorite comfort food. On the other hand, Leo still felt a bit ill from the untimely encounter; he wasn’t sure how much he could stomach. He settled on two slices for each of them.

“Say hi to Jim for me,” David called as Leo left for his room.

Jim was sitting on the couch, looking down at his feet. “Hey buddy,” Leo murmured as he shut the door behind him. Jim gave a mirthless snort and a half-hearted smile as Leo sat next to him. “You okay?”

Jim met his eyes after a moment of contemplation. “Better than I usually am around him.”

“That’s good. I brought your favorite.”

His boyfriend huffed a real laugh this time, lips curling up against his will. Jim picked up a piece of pizza and stared at it for a bit, maybe judging if he could stomach anything, or just thinking. “I felt a lot better with you there,” he murmured.

“Really?”

“Yeah. It’s probably kind of selfish of me, since… you know, he’s such an ass, but if someone else is there, he won’t try anything. Or drink.”

Leo balanced his plate on his thighs as he gauged his hunger, pizza slice in hand. “Well, I’m glad it was… better, at least.”

“Yeah…”

“You know, I’d do anything for you if it made you feel safe.”

Jim looked at him with such a gutted expression it broke Leo’s heart. “Really?” he asked, so quiet Leo could barely hear it even in the silence of his room.

“Of course I would.” he replied, laying a hand on Jim’s knee to gently stroke with a thumb. “Anything.”

Jim sat in stunned silence before setting the slice of pizza down. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

Jim scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Leo’s side, pulling them flush together.

“C’mon, you should eat somethin’.”

“I’m not really hungry.”

“That’s jus’ nerves,” Leo drawled. He brought a hand to Jim’s shoulder blade and stroked down his spine. “C’mon, eat somethin’ for me.”

“Okay.”

Jim ate his pizza in silence as Leo petted his back, gently coaxing him into eating. Leo’s slice was cold by the time he started on it, but he powered through it and felt better after eating at least something.

“You want some more?”

“Yeah, I’m actually hungry now.”

After mowing through two more pieces, Leo curled around Jim from behind and hooked his chin over Jim’s shoulder. “You want me to read again?”

Jim gave a little nod and Leo lay down with the book, Jim’s heavy weight on top of him, arms wrapped around him, and face buried in his neck to breathe him in.

One more day and a rugby game. It couldn’t possibly get worse than the last few days.

 

* * *

 

The only word Leo could use to describe Friday was ‘boring.’

They had each other’s company during Chemistry, but had to part ways for third period. Lunch was spent furiously finishing Monday’s homework so they’d have the entire weekend with nothing to worry about.

Thankfully, the student body seemed to have had its fill of strange comments in the halls and jealous interlopers, leaving only the odd looks and gossip traveling the halls faster than light did. Leo could only wonder what the rumors about his sexual prowess must be.

Lunch dragged on into Morality, which turned into meeting Jim after school. They did even more homework huddled together at Leo’s house. Jim did what he could to help Leo study for a Spanish exam the following week, but it ended up being mostly tutoring Jim on Spanish III material. By late evening, Leo buzzed with excitement.

“You’ve packed and re-packed that suitcase twice,” Jim moaned from where he lay on the bed in his boxers, lazily scratching his abs with an arm draped over his forehead. “Come cuddle with me.”

“I jus”… wanna make sure I got everything,” Leo drawled as he double- and triple-checked his packing list.

Leo was on his fifth repack when a light smack of cloth against the back of his neck prompted him to turn around. Jim lay bundled in blankets, grinning innocently.

“What was that?” Leo asked.

“My underwear.”

Leo rolled his eyes and returned to his luggage.

“Come on,” Jim whined. “You’ve checked that five times. It’s time to come to bed.”

He sighed and zipped the bag closed. “Okay.”

After Leo stripped, he crawled into Jim’s welcoming arms. The cocoon of blankets were warmed up from Jim, and Leo nuzzled his boyfriend’s chest and stroked down his back.

“I’m sure it’ll be great,” Jim murmured.

He sure hoped so.


	29. Chapter 29

The game on Saturday felt like torture.

Not because they were losing or anything like that, but because Leo was so excited he couldn’t resist checking the time every few minutes. He’d nearly whittled his fingernails down to nothing by the time the clock had twenty minutes left.

This game determined whether they played in the semifinals next Wednesday. Even with twenty minutes left and the score seventeen to ten, it could turn around in just a few minutes of play.

Leo watched the teams trade the ball back and forth. With three minutes left, the opposing team scored a field goal, bringing the final score to seventeen to thirteen. He spent the last few minutes on the edge of his seat and gave a sigh of relief when the clock hit zero.

It suddenly felt very hot. Leo reclined in his chair and wiped sweat from his brow as all the players lined up to high five their opponents.

After cleanup, he met up with Jim in the parking lot and drove home to pick up their luggage.

“So uh… whose car are we takin’?” Leo asked. Of all the details he’d carefully considered, he’d neglected this one.

“Well, where are we going? I can drive us. Your truck is a little… rickety. How far is it?”

Off the top of his head, it was… “’Bout two hunerd miles.”

Jim’s eyes widened in surprise. “Wow! We’re _really_ going out of town. Will your truck make that?”

Leo glared at Jim, who sat innocuously in the passenger seat. “Whaddya mean, ‘will it make it?’” he growled.

“Huh?” Jim hummed, looking him in the eye. “What do you mean?”

“You said, ‘will it make that,’ as if my car’s a hunk a junk.”

“I didn’t say that,” Jim insisted. “I said it’s—”

“’A little rickety,’ I heard you.”

Silence. Jim’s gaze fell and his lips turned downward. “Oh. I didn’t mean like that.”

“Well what _did_ you mean? Cause my car’s fine.”

Jim wrung his hands and glanced up and away from Leo a few times. “I don’t know.”

Curse him for looking like a kicked puppy when he’s sad. “Well I – I guess your car is a lot safer. Better gas mileage… mine is a 1980, and yours is…”

“A 2005.”

“A 2005,” Leo repeated. Jim still looked down in sadness.

Now that he thought about it, Leo didn’t feel entirely safe in his own rusty truck, and the gas mileage was indeed horrendous. The last thing he wanted was to be stranded on US 20, regardless of how close to a town they ended up. Looking at Jim again, though… Just as bad was seeing him look hurt and withdrawn.

The air squeezed out of Leo’s lungs at the sudden realization Jim probably shrunk away in reaction to raising his voice, as if—

“Jim?” Leo croaked.

“Yeah?”

He cringed; Jim hadn’t sounded so small in a long while. Leo watched the scenery pass on the way to his house, pausing to collect his thoughts. “I – you’re right, my um… my truck probably wouldn’t make it.”

“Leo—”

“No, you’re – I’m sorry for yelling. We can take your car.”

“But that’s not – that wasn’t…”

Nearly home.

“It wasn’t about a jab at your car, or anything. I don’t know what I meant by it.”

“No, I – this entire weekend is for you, and I don’t wanna start it like this. We can do whatever you want, but I wanted to drive so where we’re going is a surprise.”

After a moment, Jim gave a tiny “oh.”

“I’m sorry I yelled.”

“You don’t have to apologize.”

_Yes I do, you’re a victim of abuse._ “But I’m – I’m not mad or anything, okay?”

“Okay.”

Leo felt sick; he hoped he hadn’t read too far into Jim’s reaction – that would make it awkward for both of them. It certainly felt awkward anyway, driving to his house in silence only interrupted by the squeak of the suspension and rumble of the engine. He reached over to take Jim’s hand and threaded their fingers together, gently trailing his thumb over Jim’s knuckles.

“You know I’d never hurt you, right?”

“Huh?” Jim furrowed his brow. “I – of course I know that. Where did—”

“I just,” Leo cut in. “I just wanted to make sure you know that I’d never – I wouldn’t hit you, or anything.”

Jim paused, then said “It’s okay,” in a low, soothing tone.

“But I—”

“It’s okay,” he insisted. “I know you didn’t mean it.”

“How did this turn around to you comforting _me?_ ” Leo asked in bewilderment.

“I dunno. Talent on my part?”

The awkward car ride gratefully came to an end when Leo pulled into the driveway. “I wanna leave in the next ten minutes. How about… can you get our luggage and I’ll get food for the road?”

While Jim heaved their luggage out to Leo’s truck, Leo busied himself in the kitchen. There were all sorts of snacks he could bring with them. String cheese, crackers, sandwich meats, some sports drinks and bottles of water. He made ham, lettuce, and cheese sandwiches, packed some fruit, and had just finished bagging some ice for the cooler when someone behind him wrapped their arms around him without any warning.

“Whoa!”

“Leo,” Jim chuckled. “This is way too much food. You basically packed two entire meals for both of us.”

It wasn’t _that_ much food… was it? “Are you done getting our stuff together?”

“Almost.”

Leo spun around in Jim’s arms to give him a glare. “It’s been ten minutes already, I’m done.”

“Shh, we’ll be fine.”

“Jim, we have to leave! I wanna be there by—”

“I’ll get to it, don’t worry,” he said before plodding off again.

There _were_ a lot of snacks in the cooler… surely a few could go. The crackers and sports drinks could go, as could the string cheese. Sandwiches and fruit would be fine. Actually, keep the string cheese.

A thud behind him grabbed his attention, and he spun to see Jim standing with Leo’s last bag at his side. “Okay, now I’m ready.”

“C’mon, then.”

Leo put the sports drinks back in the cooler when Jim wasn’t looking.

 

* * *

 

After a short drive to Jim’s house to switch cars – and a brief introduction to the nuances of Jim’s car, such as the slightly sticky gearshift – Leo started toward the highway.

The route was simple enough: take I-35 north and turn onto US-20 east.

Leo’s excitement and nervous tension that had percolated over the entire week reached a head… until they made it onto the highway. Then, the reality of a nearly four-hour drive set in.

It’d likely be a very long four hours for them.

After only a few minutes of driving, a light tapping noise caught Leo’s attention. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jim restlessly jiggling his leg as he looked out the window.

“I forgot how much of Iowa is farmland.”

Leo turned on the radio and patted the dashboard to get Jim’s attention. “You can play whatever you like, it’s your car.”

“The driver picks the music.”

Leo glanced at Jim. Jim met his eyes and curled his lips up in a playful grin.

“And shotgun shuts his trap about it.”

Leo chuckled. “What’re you talkin’ about? Pick some music.”

Jim fiddled with the controls for a few minutes, scanning until he found a classical rock station. The guitar and lyrics belted over the sound of the tires rolling over the pavement.

“I spy with my little eye something blue.”

The car in front of them covered in obnoxious political bumper stickers was blue. “Is it that car in front of us?” Leo asked.

“Yes,” Jim said, nearly monotone.

“I spy with my little eye,” Leo murmured, his twang coming through. An upcoming sign had some orange on it. “Something orange.”

Jim looked around for a bit on both sides of the road. “Wait, where?”

“Was that sign, back there.”

“Does being in farmland make you drawl more or something?”

“Maybe.”

Truth be told, Leo got a little homesick for Georgia sometimes, though he wasn’t sure why farms did that to him, considering he lived in the city, rather than the outskirts.

Jim changed the radio again – this time to something more contemporary. A few more miles down the highway, a second singer came in, a hearty soprano that sounded like how fine chocolate tasted. Was it a higher quality station? It sounded a lot clearer than Jim’s speakers normally were, none of the static involved. He took a glance at Jim to see him mouthing along to the music – except he wasn’t mouthing, he was singing. Leo’s jaw dropped at the sound of his boyfriend’s gorgeous singing voice.

“What?” Jim asked, after Leo had stared for a moment.

Leo’s eyes darted back to the road. “I jus’ – your _voice._ ”

“What about it?”

“Your singin’ voice. It – god, it’s like – like…”

After a moment of silent staring at the road, Jim poked Leo’s shoulder. “Like what?”

“Are you related to Frank Sinatra?”

Leo heard an embarrassed chuckle. He looked at Jim again only to see him ducking his head to hide a blush. “Do I really sound like Sinatra?” he asked quietly.

“Darlin,” Leo murmured as he gripped Jim’s hand. “You sound _heavenly._ ”

“No I don’t,” Jim said with a playful push to Leo’s shoulder. He sounded so bashful that Leo couldn’t help but turn to look, only to witness Jim hiding his face in his hands, desperately trying to hide a massive grin.

 

* * *

 

“Leo, look at that!”

“What?”

Leo looked toward where Jim pointed, only to see more farmland.

“I don’t get it.”

“That silo looks like a giant dick!”

Jim’s finger aligned with a one tall silo flanked by two shorter—

“Oh my god, it does!” Leo chuckled, as Jim’s laugh filled his car. “You dork!”

“It’s not my fault they – they shaped it like that!” he choked out between gasps.

Jim looked so gorgeous when he laughed that hard, lips in an ear to ear grin and eyes crinkled until you could barely see iris, his peals of laughter melodious.

 

* * *

 

“Leo,” Jim whined.

They had just left Cedar Falls when Jim began to squirm in his seat.

“What?”

“I have to piss.”

“What? We just left Cedar Falls.”

“I didn’t have to, then!” Jim exclaimed. “Pull over.”

“I’m not pullin’ over, Jim.”

“Come on, I gotta go!”

Leo rolled his eyes and pulled over onto the dusty roadside. “Make it quick.”

Jim brought him in for a clumsy press of lips, then darted out of the car and into a small ditch. He kept watch so to speak, as if glaring at passing cars would stop anyone from getting a distant look at his boyfriend.

Jim returned with a grin. “Much better. Thank you, dear.”

Leo snorted and shifted into drive again.

 

* * *

 

Leo breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his forehead when he finally pulled into the hotel’s valet queue and put the car in park.

“We’re here,” he said. He gave Jim’s shoulder a poke.

Jim had fallen asleep some time in the last half hour. He looked so sweet, laying against the window and drooling on himself, but several cars were waiting behind them for valet service and Leo feared the employees would complain soon.

“Jim,” Leo said, louder as he insistently prodded Jim’s side.

“Hmm…?” Jim murmured.

“We’re here.”

“Mmm… okay.” He gave a wide yawn that bared his tongue and every tooth in his mouth, much like a lion might.

Leo unloaded the luggage while Jim stretched in his seat, and the valet drove Jim’s car to the parking garage after he got out. Once in the lobby – a fancy, low lit affair with chandeliers, expensive artwork, and plush furniture everywhere – Leo approached the front desk.

“Hi, may I help you?” asked a cheerful woman – Debbie, the nametag said.

“McCoy, two for check in.”

“Alright, let me look you up.”

“Nobody looks at you without my permission,” Jim mumbled under his breath, still half-asleep. Leo bit back a grin as the woman turned to face him again.

“Alright, sir, looks like everything’s pre-paid. Here’s your room keys, have a wonderful stay!”

With suitcase and boyfriend in tow, a short elevator ride brought them to the fifth floor where their room was.

“The moment of truth is here, Jim,” he said as he unlocked the door. Too dark to see, he palmed the wall looking for a light switch and one flooded the room with light.

Jim let out an ‘oooh’ at the sight of the room. It was certainly one of the fancier hotels Leo had ever been to – but then again he’d not been to one in years. It had the standard amenities though – a television, a desk with glasses and an ice bucket, a small refrigerator, and a single bed big enough for both of them.

“Oh god, she probably saw that it’s only got one bed,” Leo whined.

Jim chuckled and patted Leo’s shoulder. “What’s she gonna do about it? We’re paying customers.”

“Yeah, but she might be thinkin’ about it.”

Jim turned Leo to face him and planted a chaste kiss to his cheek. “Let her think about it, then.”

Leo’s grin returned and Jim set about arranging his belongings. Leo was unpacking his clothing when Jim called from the bathroom. “Dude! Come look at this!”

Leo turned to enter the bathroom and Jim pointed at the sink, a rectangular basin in the counter that tilted to the side into a fancy grating. Water played over colorful tiles in the ceramics until Jim shut off the water. The rest of the bathroom wasn’t anything particularly special – lots of chrome, actually – but the shower was a bit peculiar.

The showerhead was square with holes of various sizes dotting the surface. Some sort of dial was on the top – it probably had multiple settings. Although the shower was big enough for two at once, Leo didn’t hold his breath that it’d be any different from a standard hotel shower – either scalding hot or freezing.

“We should take a shower,” Jim said with a wink.

“It’s nearly six, darlin’. We have reservations for dinner.”

Jim’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah, we gotta get ready for that.”

“Do I get to know where it is?” Jim asked as he returned to the room and dug through his duffel bag for the formal wear Leo insisted he pack.

“No, it’s a surprise.”

“Fine. In that case, what I’m wearing is a surprise!”

“What? How does that work?”

Before Leo knew what had happened, Jim locked himself in the bathroom with his duffel bag.

“Jim,” he said, approaching the door. After he got no reply, he knocked insistently. “Jim! I need the bathroom too!”

“Use the mirror out there!” floated through the door as a muffled reply.

“You’re gonna make us late!”

“No I won’t, but arguing will.”

Leo jiggled the doorknob – locked. With a grumble, he dug the necessities out of his bag and brought it to the vanity mirror. Using it was more than a little awkward what with the poorer lighting in the room, but he made do, silently cursing the entire time.

Jim sure did leave the sink running for a long time…

Black slacks, white dress shirt, and one of David’s ties; a handsome ensemble, if Leo said so himself – and he did. Once he secured the tie, he set about trying to make his hair into less of a disaster. Thankfully the styling gel made it easy enough that only a few minutes later he sat on the bed, bouncing his leg in anticipation.

He started to his feet when the bathroom door opened and his heart stopped at the sight of Jim.

Jim in a sky blue dress shirt that strained at every single seam, buttons threatening to rip, and collar undone.

“I uh…” Jim murmured, sheepishly trying to do just one more button to hide his furry chest. “This shirt fit when I was 16. I forgot to try it on before we left…”

Leo felt faint at the sight of the thin fabric hugging Jim’s thick biceps and broad shoulders. Try as he might to avoid looking at Jim’s bared chest, his eyes kept gravitating downward. “It’s – it’s fine, it’ll be fine.” It may not be fine for his crotch, though.

When Jim looked up he gave a tiny gasp. “Wow.”

_What about you?_ ‘Wow’ didn’t quite cover how Jim looked – despite their reservation, Jim’s tight shirt and well-fitting pants tempted Leo to stay there to undress him and kiss every inch of his body.

“Can I just… keep you here all night?” Jim asked with a tiny smile as he approached Leo, resting his hands on Leo’s shoulders.

“But we—”

Jim cut him off with a slow kiss – he tasted peppermint. Leo brought his hands to Jim’s hips as Jim cupped the back of his head. Just as Leo was about to lick his way between Jim’s lips, he pulled away.

“—have a reservation.”

“Okay,” Jim sighed, then wandered over to make one last adjustment to his hair in the vanity mirror. “Alright, so where’s this restaurant of yours?”

The map on Leo’s phone pointed him to four blocks away from the hotel. “A few blocks south of here, let’s go.”

Once in the elevator, Leo sidled up to wrap an arm around Jim’s side. “I hope you like the place,” Leo murmured.

“Can I at least know what sort of restaurant we’re going to?”

Leo sighed dramatically. “Well, I mean… I guess—”

“Wait, no. I want it to be a secret.”

Leo pulled Jim in tighter, a gentle squeeze his reward for playing along. “Alright, I’ll keep it to m’self.”

When the elevator reached the lobby, Leo took Jim’s hand, led him out to the street and took a left. A slight chill of fear spread out from his core at the reality of holding his boyfriend’s hand in public, but nobody seemed to care at all, nor give them a second look. “This is a nice city,” Leo said, glancing at the clean buildings and skyline. The streets teemed with city life, pedestrians out shopping or to visit nightclubs, couples and groups of friends littered the streets, and the sky was starting to dim. It felt so liberating to share his affection for Jim so openly in public. Maybe teenagers really were childish assholes and the world was more accepting than either of them thought.

Jim kept looking from building to building, maybe to figure out where they were headed. “Do I get a hint?”

“No.”

“Oh, come on,” Jim whined. “I’ve been good.”

“You want me to pat your head and call you a good boy?”

Jim frowned at the thought. “Not really.”

“No hints.”

Not that hints would do any good – “Just kidding, we’re here!” Leo and David had picked out a fancy Italian restaurant that he dearly hoped Jim would enjoy. It promised a quiet atmosphere with lots of allotted privacy and excellent cuisine. If the lobby were anything like the rest of the establishment, it certainly did seem like they’d be in for a fancy evening; dim lights showed off swank carpets and fine art with a touch of modern in the form of glass sculptures.

Leo approached the maître d’, who greeted him cheerfully. “Welcome, gentlemen,” she said with a wide smile. “Table for two?”

“We have a reservation under ‘McCoy’.”

“McCoy? Just one moment, sirs.” She checked her computer and nodded after a moment. “Okay, someone will be right out for you.”

They stood aside as she assisted the next few customers behind them. “Wow, this place is really fancy,” Jim murmured as they took in the artwork nearby. Enormous paintings lined the walls, each of them likely costing a small fortune on their own.

He really hoped Jim liked it, if not the restaurant then the gesture.

A waiter approached them with a pair of menus. “McCoy, party of two?”

“That’s us.”

The waiter gave them a wide smile and gestured to follow. “Right this way, please.”

Unlike many restaurants that packed as many tables in as efficiently as possible, this restaurant gave each table a wide berth to allot ease of conversation. Despite being nearly full with patrons, the usual din of activity he would have heard anywhere else was entirely absent. Soft music drifted throughout the dining hall.

“Here’s your seats, gentlemen,” the waiter said, ushering them into a booth near a corner. “Can I start you off with anything to drink?”

“Not right now,” Leo answered. Jim shook his head when the waiter glanced at him. “Alright, I’ll give you a few minutes.”

“Wow, this place is… this place is really something,” Jim said as he looked around the room in awe.

The menu had such a wide variety of foods Leo had no idea what to pick. His eyes zeroed in on ‘Lasagna,’ a favorite of his, and he picked a three-meat variety.

“What’re you thinkin’?” Leo drawled.

“Uh…” he hummed. “The chicken alfredo looks good. Can we get garlic bread?”

David had given him plenty of money to cover whatever they may want, with the caveat of helping to repaint the backside of the house over the summer. Ultimately it was a small price to pay if it meant a wonderful trip for Jim.

“We can do whatever you want, darlin’.”

“Oh really,” Jim asked, a wry smile creeping to his lips.

“Not that,” Leo murmured, glancing around in embarrassment.

“Oh, come on. We have this entire booth to ourselves and—”

“No.”

Leo returned his eyes to the menu, perusing his other options. The waiter had yet to return. He craned his head around to find him, and when he glanced at Jim he had his head ducked to hide a shy smile.

“What?”

Jim looked up to meet his eyes and even in the dim light, Leo saw inklings of a blush. “I just – I can’t believe how cute you are.”

Leo choked on air and smacked his chest to clear it, all the while his face heating up. Jim, however, was almost painfully beautiful, his eyes standing out as a deep cerulean from the blue shirt and the shadows from the lighting so flattering Leo could barely look away.

“The light really brings out your eyes.”

“Really?” Leo asked timidly.

Jim didn’t answer, in fact he didn’t answer for a few moments.

“Jim?” he asked again, gingerly taking his hand.

That seemed to startle Jim a bit, though Leo wondered if it was an act to flatter him. “Sorry, I just…” He gripped Leo’s hand all the tighter, trailing a thumb along his knuckles. “Your eyes are so beautiful.”

“Alright gentlemen, what will you be having this evening?”

Leo sputtered in surprise at the return of their waiter at such an inopportune time, his face burning in embarrassment. He hemmed and hawed and ordered the lasagna and garlic bread, Jim ordering the chicken alfredo.

With the waiter gone again, he turned his attention back to Jim – who had taken to gazing into Leo’s eyes. Leo reached under the table and pawed for Jim’s knee, giving it a gentle pet that startled Jim.

“Oh,” Jim said when he realized what it was.

“It’s jus’ little ol’ me.”

Jim gave a little smile as Leo trailed his hand lower and pulled Jim’s shoe off. “What’re you doin’, you dork?” he chuckled.

“Shh.” Leo brought Jim’s foot into his lap and stroked a palm along the thick calf, leg hair catching between his fingers. Jim leaned back against the back of the booth and gave a sigh.

“Is this for our two-month anniversary or something?”

Leo furrowed his brow. “’Two-month anniversary’?”

“Yeah. Gary was asking me what to get Cindy for their ‘monthiversary’ a while back.”

“I’m pretty sure a monthiversary is not a thing,” he said as he rubbed Jim’s leg. Leo’s pants grew tight as his cock hardened despite his mental protests.

“It could be. _Oh._ ” Jim’s face lit up as he wriggled his toes against Leo’s dick. “Hello.”

The wry grin made Leo question whether he should keep massaging his leg. “Don’t you dare, Jim Kirk.”

“I won’t,” Jim laughed. He lay his weight against the wall, gazing at Leo as if he’d set the stars in the night sky. Something deep in Leo’s chest hurt at the sight of Jim looking at him, so content, so relaxed, so _loving._ A profound urge to profess his adorations for Jim built up deep in his heart, threatening to spill over like waves crashing against a levee in hurricane force winds, a force of nature in and of itself ready to burst the dams open until it left Leo a babbling fool.

Too many witnesses; anything Leo could say had to be for Jim’s ears only. Nobody else in the world got to hear something so intimate.

“Here’s your garlic bread, sirs,” the waiter said as he set the basket of steaming bread down between them. He didn’t seem to have noticed Jim’s foot in Leo’s lap – thank god, because he wasn’t sure if his heart could take the mortification.

Jim took a piece and bit into it with an audible crunch, then held it out for Leo with a grin. “Here.”

Leo gave a little squeeze to Jim’s leg before trying a bite. A wonderful, buttery flavor danced on his tongue.

“So what else do you have planned for this weekend?” Jim asked, taking another piece of garlic bread.

“Nuh uh, you’re not weaselin’ that outta me, mister.”

“Oh come o—o—onnn,” Jim groaned when Leo pressed a thumb into his heel.

“You don’t worry your head over anything, okay? Just enjoy yourself.”

“Well, I know what I want to enjoy when we get back to the hotel,” he murmured with a playful leer.

Leo slipped a shoe off using the other as leverage and poked around for Jim’s other leg. Jim gave a start when sock found shin.

“Take your shoe off, darlin’,” Leo whispered.

With some difficulty, Jim reached under the table and Leo heard a quiet thud. His face heated up when Jim’s toes found his. Jim smiled too, a blush creeping to his cheeks as he wriggled his toes against Leo’s. Leo resumed petting Jim’s leg and gazing into his beautiful eyes. Jim’s foot traveled up Leo’s leg, trying to work into the slacks he wore.

“Can anyone see?” Jim asked under his breath.

Leo glanced at the other booths – he wasn’t able to see what was going on under any of them, thanks to the dark shadows. “I don’t think so.”

Jim bit his lip when Leo trailed a toe along his ankle. A hand found Leo’s knee and stroked him lightly. Jim grinned, showing off just the tips of his teeth in a little buck-toothed smile. Leo wondered how Jim would look in his thick-framed glasses. Maybe Jim had brought them and he could just ask.

As it was, his devastating good looks were a problem; Leo’s cock strained against his pants and right against Jim’s foot. He pulled his phone out of and quickly snapped a photo of Jim looking down at the table with a tiny, shy smile. Leo couldn’t believe how beautiful he was.

“Are you taking pictures of me,” Jim asked, coy and playful.

“Maybe.”

“Can I see it?”

Leo handed his phone over to Jim, who smirked at the photo. While he patted Jim’s leg, he heard a shutter sound and his eyes darted up to meet Jim’s.

“Are you takin’ pictures of me, now?”

“Yup!”

Jim handed the phone back and showed him; he had taken a photo of him looking down in content and happy contemplation. Although Leo normally hated photos of himself, he couldn’t help but find this one endearing.

“Look at that gorgeous scruffy face. I’m gonna send that one to myself.”

While Jim messaged himself, the waiter returned with two steaming dishes of food, startling Leo into letting go of Jim’s foot and covering his crotch with a napkin.

“For you, the chicken alfredo, and for you the three-meat lasagna. Enjoy your meal.”

Jim buried his face in his hands once the waiter had left. “Oh my god,” he groaned. “Do you think he saw?”

“Nah, probably not.”

“Oh my god,” he repeated in a near-whisper.

“C’mon, dig in.”

The lasagna was incredible, to say the least, flat noodles the perfect texture and meat sauce tangy. Jim spooned some of his dinner onto a side plate.

“Here,” he said as he scooped some on his fork and offered it. Leo gratefully ate the creamy pasta, humming in appreciation.

Leo scooped some lasagna off his plate and traded it with Jim.

“Happy monthiversary,” Leo said, holding back a giggle at how ridiculous it felt to say it.

The silly word was worth the wide smile he got.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, taking in the flavors of their dishes and the expensive decor of the restaurant. David had found the place after quite a bit of internet searching.

“You excited for the championships?” Leo asked.

Jim slurped a few noodles in, getting white sauce on his chin – in a way that looked decidedly not like pasta sauce. “I, uh… sort of.”

“Only sort of?”

Jim patted his face clean and took a long drink of water; a stalling tactic, maybe. “Well I…” He played with his fork, spinning noodles into a bundle.

“You worried about losing?”

“Yeah,” he murmured, gaze falling in dejection.

Leo gave Jim’s leg a little tap with his foot when Jim didn’t say anything else. “Is it the team?” Jim gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Is it me?” Another shrug. “Is it Pike?”

Jim gave a deep sigh. “I just – he’s done so much for me and all he does is coach _high school_ kids. I wish I could give him some recognition, like, if I go pro.”

Leo twirled some lasagna on his fork. “Does he want that, too?”

“I—” Jim gaped at Leo like he’d never in a thousand years have come up with that. “I never thought about that.”

“Maybe he just wants a quiet life coaching high school kids.”

“But I – hmm.”

“He seems like a pretty laid back guy, but I also don’t know _anything_ about him. He values his privacy, is what I’ve noticed about him.”

Jim lagged in eating dinner while he pondered that tidbit. Although their portions were enormous – paying for leftovers, as it were – and Leo had polished off half of his, Jim still had a lot left.

No matter how much he thought otherwise, Jim didn’t deserve anywhere near the amount of guilt he piled up onto himself, just because his team lost. It still twisted up Leo inside to think of how much more could be lurking beneath the surface. Perhaps he’d never know just how much there was. Maybe he could whittle away at it, and help Jim to grow with gentle nudges in particular directions.

“You doing okay?” Leo asked after a long period of silence.

“I think you’re right, I dunno. I never really thought of how little I know about him. Maybe I’ll ask him.”

“Hey,” Leo said, gently tapping Jim’s hand. “You know whatever happens, I’m proud of you, right?”

Jim lit up immediately, eyes crinkling and bright smile returning. “Yeah.”

After that, he sat up straighter, and ate his dinner with a smile.

 

* * *

 

“Alright, boys, can I get you anything else? Dessert menu?”

Leo was about to decline when Jim held a hand out for the menu. “Yes please.” He handed another menu to Leo and left to box up their leftovers.

Hopefully the evening wouldn’t get too expensive – the desserts were at least ten bucks each. Just scanning the menu, he—

Wait a minute.

“Jim?”

“Yeah?” he asked, still thumbing through the list of confections.

“Lemme pick dessert.”

“Huh?” Jim’s eyebrows shot up as Leo pulled the menu away from him. “But I—”

“Trust me on this.”

Jim’s eyes flicked from Leo’s face to the menu and back before he settled back against his seat. “Okay.”

When the waiter returned, Leo motioned him closer with a wave. “I wanna order a surprise for him, okay?” he whispered.

“Okay,” then he readied his pen.

“Can we get a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake for two?”

“Certainly, sir. Anything else?” he asked at normal volume, giving a sly grin to Leo.

“No, that’ll be all.”

Jim furrowed his brow, his lips turning upward. “What’re you doin’?”

Leo smiled back. “Nothin’.”

“It’s so obviously not nothing,” he laughed.

“You’ll just have to wait to find out what it is.”

“Aw, you’re no fun.”

Even if Leo wasn’t any fun, he certainly had fun watching Jim squirm in his seat with excitement. Even he felt a tension in his gut, waiting to see Jim’s reaction – cheesecake was Jim’s favorite dessert above all others.

After a few minutes, the waiter came back with a covered plate. “Alright, gentlemen, here’s your dessert, enjoy.”

Jim gazed at the plate with a hunger much like a child eager for candy. “What is it?”

“Open it!” Leo grinned.

Jim carefully removed the cloche, revealing a delectable cheesecake covered in red sauce and fresh raspberries.

“Oh my god,” he breathed out. “A cheesecake?!”

Leo nodded with a huge smile at the sight of Jim so ecstatic.

“You’re the best!” he exclaimed as he carefully cut into the cake with a fork. Jim moaned “This is amazing,” with the first bite.

Money may not be able to buy happiness, but it sure helped along the way to making someone else happy. Maybe it was more what you did with it for someone else, rather than for yourself. Just sitting there, enjoying the cheesecake with Jim was worth every dollar Leo had to work off that summer.

When the bill came, Leo’s jaw dropped.

“What? How much is it?” Jim asked, trying to see the receipt.

Eighty-five dollars for the entire meal. Then again, that was about how much David had said it’d probably be. “Don’t worry about it.”

Leo left a few bills in the receipt holder – which the waiter gratefully took, along with their dessert for boxing.

“What do you wanna do now?” Leo asked, once they were back outside, pasta and cake secured in a thick paper bag.

“Uh… I dunno. Wanna go see a movie, I guess?”

The bag insistently digging into Leo’s fingers wouldn’t be allowed in any movie theatre. “Let’s go back and I’ll put this in the room.”

While strolling toward the elevators once at the hotel lobby, Jim insistently slapped his upper arm.

“Leo, psst, Leo.”

“Huh?” Leo turned to face him only to see Jim with an enormous grin on his face.

“Look at that sign!”

Jim pointed toward a sign in front of the in-hotel spa.

_This weekend only: 50% off special on all massage services Swedish Deep Tissue Thai Couples and more! Inquire within_

“I didn’t notice they had a spa. Let’s get a couples massage!”

Leo hemmed and scratched the back of his neck. A massage from a stranger sounded awkward enough, but… maybe with Jim there? “I dunno, that sounds kind of—”

“Please?” Jim whined, cranking the puppy dog eyes up to eleven.

Curse those baby blues of his.

“Well I – it—”

“Please?” Jim begged, his eyes widening and – Leo clearly was hallucinating – shining bright in the light from the lobby chandeliers. He even had his hands clasped together.

How could he resist that?

“Okay.”

“Yes!” Jim exclaimed, doing a fist pump as if he scored a goal. Leo shook his head in amusement and grinned as his boyfriend cheerily dragging him over to the elevators.

Jim kept trying to muscle his way into the elevator with him, but if they went to their room together, they’d never get to see a movie – and they’d never get to see the starry sky like Leo wanted.

“Stay here,” Leo asserted in his best no-nonsense voice, pushing Jim back out of the elevator just as the doors closed. He gave a disappointed frown right before disappearing from view.

A notice on the mini fridge in their room curiously read, ‘ _do not shift objects around in the fridge or you may receive unnecessary charges_ ’ How the hell was that supposed to work? Weighted fridge? Weight sensitive fridge? Either way, putting things in the fridge would charge them.

Then again, David covered everything…

Leo resigned to the fate of incurring more charges and returned to the lobby, where he curled an arm around Jim’s side.

“You know what movie you wanna see?”

“I just picked out a comedy. There’s a seven forty-five showing at a theater a few blocks away. We can make it if we leave now.”

The line into the theater stretched nearly around the corner; Saturday evening was _not_ a good time to go see a movie. The people in line chattered noisily about their preferred movies or unrelated topics, and the smell of popcorn and candy wafted out whenever the doors opened. Despite being a new movie season, Leo still didn’t like any of the selections they had (he wasn’t that much of a movie person, even though he had many at home) but whatever Jim wanted to see, he’d watch with him – for him.

This entire weekend was to show Jim how much he cared.

They didn’t reach the ticket booth for another fifteen minutes. “I’m sorry sir, we’re sold out,” the clerk said when Jim gave his request.

“Aw!” Jim turned to face Leo. “Still wanna see a movie?”

“Whatever you wanna do, dear.”

Jim ordered tickets for a different movie and Leo handed over the cash. Once they had their tickets, Jim took Leo by the hand and led him to the concession stand, where they purchased a small popcorn to share.

The theater – predictably – was packed wall to wall. The only seats they found were in the back row and far to the left. The movie intro had already begun.

“Oops, we’re a bit late,” Leo said.

“I’ll just look up the intro online or something.”

“What movie was he in?” asked a voice a few rows in front of them.

“The one with…”

The dialogue in the movie blended with the chatter a few rows in front of them until Leo couldn’t understand either.

“Nothing annoys me more than people talking during a movie.”

He craned his neck to get a better view of who was speaking, until he saw a pair of people gesticulating animatedly in their seats. “There they are.”

“We should throw popcorn at them,” Jim whispered.

Leo hummed to himself and snacked on some of the buttery popcorn. The voices became a running commentary of the movie as it progressed; Leo still had no idea what was happening, too distracted by their conversation to pay attention to the film. They had plenty of popcorn, it wasn’t like they’d miss any…

So, he took aim and tossed a few kernels, some landing in the woman’s hair. Jim snorted and covered his mouth.

“Oh my god, I was kidding!” he hissed.

“C’mon, they ain’t gonna shut up on their own.”

Jim picked up a few pieces and lobbed them toward the couple. One kernel hit the man and he turned around to glare at everyone behind him. Leo schooled his expression as much as he could, until the man turned around again and he burst into barely restrained snickering.

“Hey, watch this,” Jim whispered. He threw another piece, striking the woman’s shoulder. She whirled around and ejected a “Hey!”

For the next few minutes they wasted their popcorn tossing it at the couple, getting various responses from nearby watchers including amused smiles and one thumbs up. Leo readied another piece and the man spun around just then, eyes widening just as Leo threw it at his face.

“You!” he bellowed, making several surrounding people finally shush him. He stormed out of his seat and Jim held Leo back as if to stop him from entering a fray, but instead of confronting them directly, the man walked out and brought back an usher.

“Throwing popcorn at another patron?”

“Yes, sir,” the man said. Leo’s stomach dropped.

“I’m afraid I’m gonna have to ask you two to leave the theater.”

Jim stood to fully face the usher. “But they were talking over the—”

“You ruined my fiancé’s hair!” he interrupted.

Could butter do that? “But that doesn’t—”

“Out!” insisted the usher. “Before I get security.”

The usher pushed them out the movie theater and back to the lobby, demanding their ticket stubs as well.

“Well fuck,” Leo grumbled once outside again.

Jim doubled over and slapped a knee as he burst into laughter. Leo glared as Jim cackled, nearly falling to his knees with the force of his laughter.

“The hell is so funny?”

“You almost never swear, it just – it sounds so funny!”

“Unbelievable,” Leo muttered, a slight smile creeping into his voice despite his best efforts to restrain it.

“I can’t believe,” Jim gasped. “You actually threw popcorn at them!”

“I can’t believe you convinced me to do it!”

Jim straightened up and snorted again, his eyes barely visible from how wide he was smiling. “I didn’t do anything!” He pulled Leo into a hug, laughing into his neck, breaking down his defenses until Leo couldn’t help but laugh too.

Jim released him only to stumble around a bit, giggling the whole while. Leo couldn’t bring himself to care about the strange looks they got on the sidewalk, laughing amongst themselves. The peals tapered down until Jim just gazed at him with a small smile, cheeks flush from laughter.

Leo glanced around them, searching for tall buildings; a skyscraper a few blocks down the street caught his eye. Suddenly, being kicked out of the movie seemed like a good thing. He grabbed Jim’s hand and led him toward it.

“Where’re we going?” Jim asked, falling into step at Leo’s side.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Another surprise?”

Leo checked the time on his phone – slightly past eight, now. The sunset was in just a few minutes. “Yeah, another surprise.”

The elevators couldn’t possibly get them to the observation deck fast enough. There were enough people crowding the railing, looking toward the west that Leo had difficulty finding a free spot. Once they did, though, the sight was breathtaking.

The sun hung low, painting the sky yellows, oranges, and pinks layered over clouds into a rolling skyscape that melted away into soft grays, long shadows cast over the ground by anything that stood against the sun.

“Isn’t it beautiful, Jim?” Leo murmured, his hand gripping Jim’s side.

“Yeah.”

Leo turned to look at Jim, only to see him gazing at Leo, wide-eyed in awe, rather than at the sun.

He looked like an angel – no, that wasn’t—

But, the late evening sun bathed him in golden light, his eyes shining bright and hair dazzling and he—

There were no words to describe how beautiful Jim was. Not a single word Leo had ever read, nor any he could think to string together, could possibly describe him.

Jim framed Leo’s face, a hand curling behind his neck to bring him closer. His eyes flicked over Leo’s face as if he couldn’t decide where to look. “You are so, so beautiful, Leo.”

Leo’s heart jumped clear to his throat; he could barely breathe, the love filling his heart overwhelming him. He wrapped an arm around Jim’s back and closed the gap between them.

Jim’s soft lips met his and Jim pulled him closer to deepen the kiss, their tongues tangling together. Jim gave a soft grunt and Leo pulled him even closer, fingers curling over his belt and into his waistband. They kissed with such a fervor as to make Leo forget they had any witnesses at all. “Horny teenagers,” he thought someone said.

“God, you’re so handsome,” Jim whispered when Leo parted to take a breath.

The sunset forgotten, Leo crushed their lips together again. His boyfriend trailed a hand up Leo’s chest, a finger working into his collar to unbutton his shirt before he pulled back again, pupils dilated from arousal.

“Let’s go back to the hotel.”

Leo had never heard such a great idea.

Jim led him by the hand back into the elevator, weaved through crowds on the sidewalk, and didn’t stop to say good evening to the doorman as he marched them into the lobby. Once in the elevator, Leo drew Jim in close, arms looped around his waist.

“C’mere, you,” he murmured, snaking a hand up Jim’s back to pull their lips together. Jim’s lips were so distracting; they devoured his, his tongue seeking his as they ground crotches together, Leo’s cock desperately straining his zipper. He felt Jim’s hot and heavy shaft pressing against his. Leo grunted and pulled Jim’s chest even closer, trying to snake a hand up under his shirt. Jim eventually separated from him, though Leo kept his lips glued to his neck.

“We’re not moving.”

Leo pulled away and looked at the floor indicator. “Oh, shit.” He reached over and tapped the button for their floor, then returned his lips to Jim’s. He cupped Jim’s scruffy jaw and tilted his head, letting him deepen the kiss until teeth clacked together and—

The door slid open. Jim peeled away from Leo faster than greased lightning, hands immediately folding over his crotch to cover his erection. Leo mirrored the pose and watched a grizzled old man hobble into the elevator, glaring at them in their disheveled state. One of his eyes was slightly lazy, making it difficult for Leo to tell who he was looking at. Maybe he was looking at both of them.

The man angrily poked the button for the third floor and turned to stare at the floor indicator. Leo’s face burned as he waited for the elevator to move up a few floors. As soon as the man left, they practically pounced on each other again. (Leo heard him grunt “stupid horny teenagers” as he limped out of the elevator.)

Blessedly the elevator reached the fifth floor and they made their way toward their room. Leo pressed Jim against their door and hummed into his mouth. Jim kept trying to push him away with light touches even as Leo nibbled his lip. “Geez, lemme get the door, first,” he giggled as he dug in his pocket for the key.

Finally behind a closed door – and in total privacy – Jim framed Leo’s face and stroked his cheek as he kissed him again, hands trailing down to open Leo’s shirt button by button.

“Jesus, Leo,” he whispered, eyes flicking between his eyes and lips, then down to his chest where he trailed a finger through Leo’s chest hair.

Leo reached up and laid a palm across Jim’s bare sternum, exhaling shakily as he palmed the furry skin. Jim’s heart raced under his fingers almost as fast as Leo’s did. “Lemme get this off you,” he said, before working open each button to bare Jim’s torso to him and him alone.

Jim kissed his neck again, noisily inhaling Leo’s scent, guiding him toward the bed as he sucked lower and lower. Leo snuck a hand in Jim’s shirt and around his back, gripping at the small when Jim cupped his hands under Leo’s butt and heaved him into his arms without warning.

(It shouldn’t turn Leo on so much that Jim could carry him like that.)

Leo clutched tight and chuckled until Jim laid him down on the bed. His boyfriend knelt at his side, lips meeting his chest to better kiss his body. To Leo’s frustration, Jim didn’t pay any mind to his pants yet. The soft kisses as he nuzzled and rubbed Leo’s belly helped make up for it.

Then, Jim shrugged off his shirt as their lips met. Leo chased him with his tongue when Jim pulled away only to glue his mouth to Leo’s body again, kissing his treasure trail – his hands working at the button of Leo’s trousers – before freezing.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, glancing up to Leo’s face.

“Wh—nothing.”

Jim looked thoroughly unconvinced. “You tense up whenever I’m down here.” He gave a little pat to Leo’s tummy, and Leo flinched ever so slightly.

Leo let out a noisy exhale through his nose and let his head fall against the bed. The ceiling looked back down at him, its eggshell-colored stucco absolutely unremarkable. “I just – I still feel mushy, and it – I dunno, whenever you’re down there I feel…”

Jim kept petting his stomach, carding his fingers through the dense fur. “You feel what?”

Leo hoped the silence would answer for him, but ultimately silence was as silence does, and it conveyed nothing. Jim’s hand on the pad of abdominal fat that still vexed him felt like a shameful brand on his body.

His lover thumbed at the line of hair right over the part he most felt conscious of. He almost felt like swatting Jim’s hand away—

Until Jim left a long, soft kiss right in the thick of his fur.

“I love your belly,” Jim murmured, holding back a chuckle. He left another kiss, a noisy smooch, then stroked his hand along Leo’s midriff. “It makes you nice and cuddly. I love how you fill my arms when I hold you.”

“You do?” Leo croaked.

Jim gave him a soft smile. “Don’t forget, I’m here for what’s in there,” he said, leaving a hand over Leo’s heart. “I love you, no matter how you look.”

Leo’s throat closed as Jim kept kissing his tummy. He combed his fingers through Jim’s blond locks as he nuzzled and petted his body.

“Think about how much progress you’ve made instead.”

“I dunno,” Leo said in a flat tone; even he could tell how reluctant he sounded.

“You know you’re a lot stronger than when we met, right? I mean, look at yourself.” Jim lifted one of Leo’s arms. “Look at these beautiful biceps. Look at how thick they are now.” He left a few light kisses to his hairy forearm and right on his bicep, grinning into it. “Or your chest,” he said as he rubbed a palm over one of Leo’s pecs before kissing the muscle.

Deep down, Leo _knew_ he was bigger now than he was when they began dating – he’d even grown taller, now nearly the same height as Jim.

“Is it enough?”

“What do you mean?” Jim asked. He paused, idly twirling a finger over Leo’s sternum. “Wait… why do you work out?”

“Um…” Leo trailed off; that wasn’t a question he wanted to talk about at the moment.

“To look good? To be healthy?”

“Well…”

Jim’s expression fell, and he stopped petting Leo. “Is it for me?” he asked, sounding disappointed – Leo wasn’t sure if he was disappointed in himself or Leo.

“All of them, I guess.”

“Don’t work out just for me,” Jim said, thumbing at Leo’s treasure trail. “I’m happy with how you are.” He gave a tiny kiss to Leo’s tummy as Exhibit A. “Though, I won’t complain if you keep working out,” he said with a wide grin. “Just… don’t work out to keep me happy, ‘cause… you know, I already am.”

Leo sighed as Jim lavished him anywhere he could with his lips; his chest, his shoulders, his neck and arms. He scratched Jim’s head affectionately as Jim worshipped his body until he relaxed again, practically goo under Jim’s ministrations.

He hadn’t ever felt beautiful before Jim made him feel that way, and here he was, doing it yet again when they should be making love.

With someone like Jim so appreciatively touching him, it was hard to feel so self-loathing. Especially when said person finally removed his pants and underwear – or when said person started mouthing at his crotch and nuzzling at his balls. Then Jim took off his own pants, showing off furry legs and hard cock, and all Leo could think about was getting that dick between his lips – or maybe inside him.

He wasn’t sure if he could do it, or if it’d be any good, but if Jim wanted it, he’d give it. He didn’t think he could say no. The inexorable draw he felt after their first time – just thinking of Jim feeling that for him could rob him of air if he contemplated it too much, the idea of bonding so deeply with another person far too tantalizing.

Then Jim’s lips met the hilt of his cock and sucked along his length, and apparently making love was back on the table. He gave a few kisses to the tip and grinned as Leo sat up to cradle his head before he sucked Leo’s dick to the back of his throat.

In all honesty, Leo really should feel bad that Jim was swallowing his cock, given that the entire weekend was supposed to be for showing Jim he loved him. In practice, all he could focus on was his dick slurping between those sinful, wet lips, and that warm tongue laving along the underside, tickling the crown.

When Jim cupped his balls and started to swirl his lips around him, the urge to cum grew and grew, the sparks shooting through his body exactly what he needed. He could practically see the spurts of cum he was moments away from shooting down his boyfriend’s throat.

He stroked and petted as Jim sucked him dutifully, but he pulled off with a kiss to the tip just as Leo’s balls drew up, only to completely let go.

Leo’s eyes widened in disbelief. His cock pointed straight out – hard, throbbing, and wet – begging for Jim’s lips, begging to empty a load into his mouth, a primal desire clawing at him, pleading for Jim to suck him deep and swallow every drop of his cum like a greedy animal.

“Why’d you stop?” he asked incredulously as the arousal abated, his cock aching no less.

Jim smirked and rubbed his thighs. “You want me to keep going?”

“What kinda question’s that?” he drawled. “’Course I do.”

“Say the magic word,” Jim sang.

Leo lightly gripped Jim’s neck and tried guiding him to his dick. “Please?”

Leo swore up and down Jim purred when he stroked his jaw, and Jim rewarded him with a press of lips to his palm before mouthing at the tip of his cock again.

“God,” Leo groaned, sweet pleasure filling him again as Jim pulled him deep. Jim moaned around him as he hollowed his cheeks, taking him deeper and deeper. Leo gently pushed Jim up and down his dick with a hand on his jaw until Jim let go with a pop from the tip.

It was almost tortuous, how his impending release bled away as Jim smiled up at him. “Good?”

“Oh god, Jim, please.”

“Please what?”

“Please suck me off,” Leo whined, cheeks heating up.

Jim hummed as he pulled Leo down again, taking him deeper and deeper until Leo felt his throat around him.

“Ohhhh,” he moaned, gripping Jim’s hair. He grunted in pain and Leo immediately released him to stroke soothingly down Jim’s head. “Sorry.”

Jim didn’t answer, only sucked him closer to sweet release. Too beautiful eyes gazed into his, and Leo nearly toppled over just from that.

Just as he thought Jim would finish him, he drew away again, leaving Leo’s spit-slick and swollen cock standing in midair again.

“Oh god, please,” he begged.

“Please what?” Jim said with a little smile.

“Please suck my cock,” Leo answered, face burning.

Jim’s face lit up, and he curled his fingers in a ring around the base of his cock. “Alright, Leo, for you.”

Leo quivered with relief when Jim’s lips met the shaft. It wasn’t long before the slick of lips on his manhood brought him to the edge.

“I wanna cum, Jim,” he moaned, abandoning dignity. “Please can I cum?”

Jim answered by sucking harder. He hummed again and Leo’s toes curled as the tension in his gut spiked.

Finally, _finally,_ overwhelming pleasure wracked his body and his cock throbbed hard, spilling his load between Jim’s perfect pink lips. “Oh… _God,_ ” he groaned, his arms jerking from the force. Jim gagged when Leo bucked up into his mouth, though he stayed on him as Leo filled his throat with cum. Leo could only gape and choke back his moans lest someone hear him through the walls until the longest orgasm he’d ever had faded, leaving him slowly stroking his boyfriend’s head, panting and spent.

Jim stayed on for a few moments, letting warm cum and his tongue surround Leo before pulling off slowly. He sucked as he went until he popped off and licked his lips, semen still stuck to his tongue. His eyes were a bit watery.

Words failed him as Jim’s throat bobbed, swallowing down every drop of cum just as Leo had silently implored. “Wow, that was a big load,” Jim chuckled, wiping away tears.

It always sent a spark of arousal up Leo’s spine to see Jim do that – to see him swallow him down so eagerly. It gave him a weird feeling, deep in his heart, like… like Jim wanted all him, even the parts that were taboo or kind of gross, sometimes. He still couldn’t believe he had someone like Jim in his life. He wanted so bad for Jim to feel the same way, to make Jim feel so loved and wanted that he cried tears of joy.

“You okay?”

In his silence Leo had only gazed at Jim in thought. He petted Jim, pulling him in to kiss his forehead. “I’m more than okay, darlin’,” he drawled. “That was amazing.”

“I hoped it would be.” Jim grinned wide, though his eyes still shone bright.

“Sorry ‘bout gagging you. Are you okay?” Leo asked, cupping Jim’s jaw and brushing away tears.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Really not into that… I gotta do that again, though. That was the biggest cum shot I’ve ever gotten out of you.” Leo laughed and Jim patted a thigh. “Wondering if I can get more if I try harder.” He glanced down at Leo’s cock again. “How are you still hard?”

“Never had that happen before?”

Jim shrugged. He leaned in and gave a few more sucks, looking with his tongue for leftover jizz before pulling away with a kiss and a smile. “Ready for round two?”

“Round two?” Leo asked incredulously. Jim dug in his duffel bag and pushed a bottle of lube into Leo’s hand with a shy grin. “Wait, you want to – don’t you wanna cum, first?”

“Actually, I kind of – uh, I kind of wanted you to make me wait for it. If that’s – if that’s okay?”

“Yeah, I – of course. Why wouldn’t it be? Just a sec…” Leo swore he only turned away for a moment to get a sip of water, but when he looked at the bed again, Jim knelt on his hands and knees.

“I wanna try it this way. That okay?”

Leo approached with the lube and patted Jim’s shoulder. “Whatever you want, darlin’.”

A brief spell of dizziness hit him from just looking at Jim’s gorgeous ass presented for him, legs folded under him and bunching up powerful thighs and thick glutes. He couldn’t help but knead the strong muscle for a few moments, feeling it tense under his hand. Jim gave a shy snort of laughter when Leo pressed a kiss to a cheek and to the small of his back.

Jim’s butt had a sparse coat of blond fur; running his hands over it tickled a bit. Jim sighed as Leo stroked his hands over him. His hole, bared for Leo, awaited his fingers and – eventually – his cock. Just thinking about sliding into that warm, tight, accepting darkness and filling Jim for the second time that night had him nearly salivating in anticipation.

He glanced up to see Jim gazing at him over his shoulder, patiently awaiting his entrance. “Wait, when did you…?”

“Do what?”

“Uh… when did you clean up?”

Jim gave a quiet laugh. “Um… before we left. It’s why I took so long in the bathroom.”

Planning on putting out; Leo would have to take a page out of that book for later.

Once he had a good amount of lube on his fingers, he tentatively stroked the ring of muscle. He heard a quiet inhale of surprise, and pressed a finger in, watching it easily slip into Jim. Leo couldn’t believe how hard he was, right after spilling such a big load for Jim to eat.

He couldn’t believe how _hot_ it was, either – getting to open Jim up himself. It teased him just as much as it teased Jim, watching one, two, then three fingers massage his hole open. Jim bit back moans, clenching down around his fingers, only making Leo want to push in sooner. As much as he wanted to rush it, he didn’t want to hurt Jim – not now, not ever. He wanted to build him up and give him an incredible pleasure, to give all his love to the man quietly mewling under him.

So he patiently lubed him up, stroking down his back and whispering to him.

“Shh, in a moment, almost ready.”

Surely, Jim had to be open enough. He still felt a little anxious about the angle. As he slicked up his achingly hard cock, he patted Jim’s lower back.

“Okay, uh… here I go.”

Leo lined himself up and rubbed the head of his cock around Jim’s rim, teasing both of them even more. He twitched from the sensitivity, his last orgasm too recent, and they both gasped when he pushed in. He watched Jim’s body envelop the head of his dick, squeezing down on him, but when Leo finally sunk into that warm, welcoming hole as it fluttered around his cock, every care in the world bled away, except for two: the urge to cum, and the deep desire to make Jim cum.

“Oh _darlin’,_ ” he sighed, the only word meaningful enough to convey how deeply he felt for Jim, how completely he adored him. He sat still for a moment, looking down at Jim’s flush, heaving body, and ghosted his fingers down his back.

“Oh god.”

Leo curled around his boyfriend, stroking his hands over his arms and neck before planting a kiss to a shoulder. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Jim huffed out, turning his head to look at him.

Leo covered his boyfriend’s back with kisses, stroking his palms over Jim’s body, his heart beating with excitement. Leo could even feel it around his cock, and he wondered if Jim could feel him – if he could feel his heart pounding with love as he stayed flush to the hilt inside him.

He reared back to caress Jim’s back, trailing fingers over the hard muscle and dipping into the valley of his spine. Jim quietly gasped, a shiver reverberating through his body. He smoothed his palms over his best friend’s gorgeous body and left more kisses near Jim’s shoulder blades.

“Ready?”

Jim nodded. “I think so.”

Leo held back a gasp with the first draw out of Jim. He watched his dick disappear as he slowly thrust back in, pushing until he buried himself to the hilt. Jim quivered under him, and Leo lay a palm on the small of his back to rub in soothing circles.

“Go—” Jim gasped as Leo pressed into him. “Go a bit faster this time?”

“You sure? I don’ wanna hurt you.”

“I’ll tell you if you do.”

Leo held tight to Jim’s shoulder as he pushed in so slowly it ached, still unsure if Jim could take this position. Jim grimaced, but sighed as he relaxed into it, his entrance visibly clenching around Leo.

“Oh god, that feels so good,” Jim murmured, burying his face in his folded arms.

Leo set a slow pace of thrusting into him, leaving gentle strokes of his hands anywhere he could. Jim let out tiny huffs of breath and quiet moans of pleasure, and Leo curled around him to palm his chest and press kisses all over his shoulders. Jim nuzzled Leo’s cheek, and Leo pressed a kiss to his neck, reaching over and threading their left hands together, giving a gentle squeeze.

Kissing became licking as he dragged his palm down Jim’s arm, his bicep so big he could barely even wrap his fingers around half of it.

“A bit harder?” Jim asked.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Leo did his best to angle himself so he’d hit Jim’s prostate, still a bit nervous, but it felt so good and Jim made the most wonderful gasping noise when he pushed all the way in that it wasn’t quite so harrowing as he thought it’d be.

“Oh fuck, you feel amazing,” Leo gasped. They both moaned with every few thrusts, Jim’s wet heat so intoxicating he could stay in him forever and it wouldn’t be long enough. It was so intense and his cock so sensitive, already he could feel his orgasm approaching.

Jim’s moans came more frequently and Leo wrapped his free hand around his neglected dick to stroke him without any rhythm at all. A low whine rose from him and Jim lifted Leo up with him as he positioned his other arm under himself. Leo didn’t have any time to wonder what he was doing when the throbs around his cock started.

“Oh Leo, fuck,” Jim gasped, right before his cock pulsed between Leo’s fingers, hole throbbing around him as his back heaved against Leo’s chest. He whined again and Leo thought he could _hear_ Jim’s load splattering under him, he came with such force.

All of it coalesced to pull Leo over the edge and he came hard, shooting deep inside his lover, punctuating each spurt with a tilt of his hips, instincts screaming to breed his boyfriend deep, screaming to claim him yet again.

“Hold it in me,” Jim murmured between pants, and Leo’s heart sang as he pushed himself all the way to his balls to hold himself as deep as he could. He pressed grateful kisses all over Jim’s shoulders and neck, thumbing Jim’s wrist as he wrung the last drops of jizz out of him, Jim’s body doing the same for him.

Jim shifted under him again and brought his other hand up to rest on the pillow—

Leo felt another surge of primal desire at the sight of Jim’s palm coated in thick, sticky cum – he’d caught every drop of himself to not sully the sheets. He gingerly wrapped his fingers around Jim’s wrist and brought his hand in to lick his load off, carefully eating every drop and sucking it from between his fingers.

“Jesus,” Jim chuckled, fingers twitching from the tickle of lips.

With his hand clean, satisfaction finally came for Leo. Jim let his weight hit the bed and brought Leo down with him to rest on his back, still holding hands, still inside him. Leo draped his head over Jim’s shoulder, only for Jim to grin and lean in to kiss his jaw.

“That tickles!” Leo chuckled, but Jim insisted on kissing and licking his beard.

“You got a bit of cum on your chin.”

Leo hummed a little laugh and nuzzled Jim’s shoulder as he looked into those stunningly blue eyes. He let go of Jim’s hand and carded his fingers through his hair, ever so gently petting him as they gazed at each other.

“I love you, Jim,” he murmured. “I love you.”

Jim brought their foreheads together and smiled. “I love you, too.”

Even just looking in each other’s eyes felt so deeply intimate in the moment, knowing they shared their bodies, that Jim gave himself over, filled to the brim with Leo – _still_ full of him.

“I can feel your pulse through your dick,” Jim mumbled with a smile.

Leo snorted and gave a tiny kiss to Jim’s neck. “I can feel yours.”

Jim seemed perfectly content to be petted and cuddled in silence, Leo laying on top of him. He smiled soft and sleepy as he gazed at Leo as if wondering if he were real.

“You comfortable?” Leo asked as he combed through Jim’s hair.

Jim nodded and reached for Leo to twine their fingers. “Stay in me for a bit?”

“Anything for you, darlin’,” Leo murmured as he left a kiss to Jim’s shoulder.

They lay together for a few minutes, enjoying the quiet kissing and embrace before Leo shifted, noticing they were sticking together a bit. Jim giggled and said, “That feels a bit gross.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Leo peeled off him and slowly pulled out, twitching from the sensitivity. Once unsheathed he stroked Jim’s butt – Jim’s thoroughly fucked, deeply bred butt – and had to hold back a possessive growl at the thought of Jim still full of him. He padded off to the bathroom and spent a few moments cleaning himself off before bringing a damp washcloth to his still-waiting boyfriend. He gently cleaned his beautiful ass, his lower back, and – once Jim flipped over – his abs. Jim took the cloth and cleaned his hand off, then opened his arms, inviting Leo to join him.

“Come to bed,” he murmured, and Leo couldn’t resist climbing on top of him and letting Jim wrap him in his burly arms. Jim pulled a quilt up over them, surrounding them both in warmth. “I had a wonderful day,” he said, kissing Leo’s cheek.

“Me too.”


	30. Chapter 30

Leo woke to the sound of the heater quietly creaking to life. The morning sun streamed through the gauzy curtains of their hotel room, gently rousing him from unconsciousness. He still lay on top of Jim, soft chest hair tickling his cheek, with a heavy arm draped over his back.

Jim’s breath came in the telltale slow waves of someone still deep in sleep, his heartbeat audible where Leo lay against him. Normally, Jim slept fairly light, though Leo didn’t like thinking about why that may be. ‘I sleep better when you’re with me,’ he had once said, and today he certainly believed that. Jim didn’t stir at all as Leo curled his arms around Jim’s torso, pillowing his head on a furry pec.

Leo smiled wide, perfectly content to laze the morning away with his beloved in the warmth of their nest of blankets.

With each inhale, Jim’s belly pressed against Leo’s. His morning wood only hardened when the vivid memory of pushing so deep into Jim he could barely see the hilt anymore flitted to the forefront of his mind. He pressed a gentle kiss over Jim’s heart and carefully extricated himself from Jim’s arms. In the process he uncovered Jim, baring his naked body to the daylight filtering in.

Although it was early May – an Iowa May, no less – their room was pleasantly warm, even without any clothing or a blanket. Neither Leo nor Jim shivered, leaving Leo totally free to do as he wished without Jim waking from his slumber. He carefully crawled down the bed to sit next to Jim’s lap, and ever so lightly ghosted a palm down one of his thighs, soft fur tickling him. One of Jim’s hands stirred, though he didn’t wake. His cock – Leo’s goal – lay against him, soft and lax.

He intended to change that.

He bent down and gave a little lick to the tip – no reaction. A kiss – no reaction. Leo braced his weight on either side of Jim’s lap and sucked him between his lips, laving his tongue all over him and hollowing his cheeks.

While Jim didn’t react, his cock certainly did. After just a few moments it began to fill. Leo rubbed a palm over the crease between thigh and hip as he sucked, trying to wake Jim up with a morning blowjob.

Jim still slept, but Leo saw his lips curled in a tiny smile, his head fallen to the side. His legs fell open and a hand scratched his abs.

Jim tasted so good, his throbbing cock filling Leo’s mouth, the head catching on his lips and his tongue molding to the underside. He curled a hand around the base of Jim’s length, cradling his sack. It wasn’t at all clear _why _Jim loved when he did that – nor did he know why he loved when _Jim _did it – just that he couldn’t go wrong by cupping his balls.____

He pulled off and kissed the tip before diving in again, taking all of Jim to the back of his throat and holding him there, eyes shut as he indulged in the experience of blowing his boyfriend: pubes tickling his nose, balls warm and filling his palm, precum salty but _so _tasty, slow heartbeat pulsing between his lips.__

When a hand met his hair, he looked up to see Jim smiling soft and sleepy at him, open-mouthed and belly heaving with pleasure. He pulled off and smiled, kissing around his manhood to give him time to cool off. While he wanted Jim to shoot down his throat he still wanted him to enjoy it from start to finish.

Jim scratched his head affectionately as Leo palmed his stomach, luxurious fur drawn between his fingers. After a few moments of giving him a break, he kissed along the length again before sucking him deep, sliding down Jim’s dick as he hollowed his cheeks. Jim gave a tiny sigh and thumbed at Leo’s temple as he sucked up and down Jim so slowly it was practically torture – for him, knowing it’d be a while before he got the load he craved; for Jim, being made to watch. Jim grabbed his free hand and clutched it, holding it against his belly as Leo petted him.

Sometimes he couldn’t believe that doing something so simple gave someone he loved so dearly such incredible pleasure, but watching Jim’s leg twitch, his belly heave, and seeing his head fall back with a tiny gasp drove the point home.

Jim was practically putty under his lips and fingers, giving little groans and sighs. Jim gripped his hand tight as Leo slowed down even further, just wanting his boyfriend to feel good, whether he got him off or not. He pulled off to lavish him with kisses and licks, sucking his balls for a few moments before burying his face in Jim’s crotch, cock at the back of his throat. As Jim stroked his cheek and scratched his beard, he looked at Leo with so much love in his eyes it nearly hurt.

Finally, as Leo pulled him deeper, his balls drew up and he bit back a whine. Jim’s jaw dropped as his cock jumped between Leo’s lips. Leo sucked hard as Jim filled his mouth, hand clutching his, toes curling and breath fleeing his lungs in little gasps. He sucked up and down him as his warm, slightly bitter jizz flooded his throat, drawing out Jim’s orgasm as long as he could. Jim cupped his jaw and thumbed at his cheek to feel his dick still stretching Leo’s lips wide, and their eyes met as he swallowed an enormous load of Jim’s cum for breakfast.

Leo kept sucking to clean him off, swallowing around him as he softened until his breathing slowed and he gasped from oversensitivity. After peppering Jim’s dick and belly with kisses, he grinned wide and murmured, “G’morning, darlin’.”

Jim laughed breathlessly and pulled Leo by the hand to lay on top him again, curling around him with every limb like an octopus might, holding every inch of them together and covering them again with a blanket. He nuzzled and kissed Leo’s neck, purring in contentment.

Leo loved Jim’s hugs; he hugged with his whole body, cradling him in his huge arms and holding him so tight and loving it squeezed all the air out of his lungs – from both pressure and emotion.

He wriggled free of Jim’s grasp – though their legs remained intimately tangled and their crotches together – and pushed messy, adorable bed head out of Jim’s eyes to press little kisses to his lips, cheeks, and forehead.

They whittled away another twenty or so minutes without even saying anything, just trading kisses and petting each other. They had nowhere to be – not for a few hours – and until then, all Leo wanted was to hold his lover.

Finally he glanced at the clock – nine twenty-three. He pulled away from Jim – who frowned in disappointment, as he had been working his lips down Leo’s neck – and smoothed a hand over his chest. “Time to get up; I have plans for us, today.”

“Do those plans involve spending the whole day blowing each other?” Jim asked with a wry grin.

“No – though that is mighty tempting,” he drawled.

Jim giggled and let Leo pull him into a sitting position. “You are so southern, I love it.”

Leo got up to start the shower and brush his teeth, Jim joining him a moment later. It felt so weirdly domestic, brushing their teeth together in the nude, but there wasn’t anywhere he’d rather be now than at Jim’s side, grinning at each other in the mirror.

Jim guided him into the shower under the warm jets, lathering up shower gel and spreading it all over him. Leo sighed under the gentle touch and let his eyes shut. Jim wrapped around him from behind and smoothed his hands all over him, spreading soap before grabbing his balls and rolling them between his fingers.

“Oh,” Leo gasped.

Jim gently massaged his sack as his other hand explored Leo’s body, lathering up his belly, legs, and crotch. The path of his hand took too-short diversions to wrap around his cock and stroke for a few moments, keeping him hard but not aroused enough to cum.

The slow circles over his body grew larger as Jim washed his chest, scratching lazily at the hair coating him.

The kisses to the back of his neck wasn’t helping his erection at all.

Leo noticed Jim’s hard cock nestled between his ass cheeks, the tip quite close to his hole. Curiously, he didn’t feel any pressing anxiety over it; in fact it was rather welcome.

If he was comfortable with that, he should be able to go further, right?

Jim finally took him in hand again, stroking more insistently and twisting his hand as Leo watched deft fingers curl around his dick. The pleasure grew and grew, a steady pressure in his lap. Jim’s lips trailed over his ear just as Leo finally came hard all over the shower curtain in big ropes of semen.

Jim’s stroking slowed as Leo pumped out the last few drops until he let go and palmed Leo’s body again. His boyfriend gave a kiss behind his ear and whispered, “good morning to you, too.”

Leo chuckled breathlessly and spun around to smooch him squarely on the lips. “Let’s finish up in here.”

As Leo’s mind lingered on how comfortable he’d grown in Jim’s presence, his mind also turned to the night prior. He’d made love to Jim all of thrice now, each time a wonderful mix of emotions, each a lovely bonding moment for them. Each time felt like he’d found his home in another person.

The more he thought of it, the more he wanted Jim to feel like he was his home.

If he really were comfortable with it now, he’d give that to Jim. He’d do anything if it gave Jim a happier life.

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t for another fifteen or so minutes they finally dressed up and meandered into the hotel lobby – Jim wearing a delightfully tight blue shirt, Leo in black. Once in the lobby, though, Jim went from doting boyfriend to pestering problem once he saw the ad for the massage special.

“Leo, Leo,” he murmured, prodding his shoulder insistently. “The massage place is open now!”

He all but dragged Leo over to the front desk of the spa, where the receptionist greeted them cheerily.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” she said, glancing between them – though her eyes lingered on Jim for longer than socially necessary. “How may I help you?”

“We wanna sign up for a couples massage,” Jim said excitedly before Leo could stop him.

Well, he _had _said the night before that they could…__

The receptionist looked slightly disappointed – was she eyeing up Jim? “Alright. This weekend we have a special going on: all massage services, fifty percent off. Let me see what we have available.” She looked up from her computer a moment later and smiled. “We have a three o’clock open. Does that work?”

“That’s good,” Leo answered, trying to take control of the conversation again.

“Okay, are you staying here? We can add any charges to your hotel bill.”

After giving her the pertinent information, she nodded again and said her parting pleasantries.

“So where do you wanna go for breakfast?”

He… hadn’t thought of that.

“Uh… is the hotel café fine?”

Jim shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

Nowhere near as fancy as the restaurant they went to the previous night, hopefully it also wouldn’t be nearly as expensive. A waitress sat them and Leo ordered pigs in a blanket. Jim ordered a steak and cheese omelette.

“So do I get to know what these plans of yours are?” Jim asked.

Leo shook his head and took a sip of water. “Nope.”

“Aw come on,” Jim insisted. He reached under the table and grabbed Leo’s leg, working a hand into the pant leg to stroke his skin. “I’ve been good.”

“An’ you remember what I said last time you said that?” Leo asked with a smirk.

Jim pouted, though he kept petting, his hand warm and gentle. “Like it was yesterday. Not even a hint?”

“Nope,” he replied, letting the P pop.

Jim’s lips curled up in a mischievous smile. “I’ll blow you again,” he said, low and sultry.

Leo’s cock twitched. “No.”

“Come on. I’ll suck you real slow,” he said as his hand caressed Leo’s leg. “Just like last night.”

“No,” Leo insisted. He absolutely would not cave to offers of sex, especially not if it ruined the surprise.

“Real slow and really deep,” Jim cooed.

“No!”

“I’ll swallow for you,” he offered.

Leo blushed hot and lightly kicked Jim’s leg. “You do that anyway.”

“Yeah, but you like watching.”

“I’ll blow you if you stop askin,’” Leo drawled. Jim laughed with a big grin and a blush. “And _I’ll _swallow. _Several_ loads.__ ”

“How romantic.”

The waitress returned with their dishes, wordlessly placing each before them. Leo’s face ignited and he buried it in his hands as she left.

“Oh my god, she heard me, didn’t she?”

Jim cackled as he tried hugging Leo’s leg to little success. He felt sick, his appetite disappearing from mortification.

“Jus’ let me die, Jim.”

“Nooooo,” Jim whined. “Don’t. No dying.”

“I don’t feel hungry anymore.”

“Eeeeeeat,” Jim insisted. “We have plans.”

Jim powered through a quarter of his omelette before Leo finally worked up the muster to eat, and by then Jim’s touch has lightened to a slow stroke of his thumb.

“I’m sure I’ll love it, whatever it is,” Jim said out of nowhere.

_I sure hope you do._

 

* * *

 

“Where’re we going again?” Jim asked, in a transparent attempt to get him to fess up.

“I dunno,” Leo responded, a lilt to his tone of faux innocence that made Jim turn to gape at him before returning his gaze to the road to discern their destination. He remained quiet after that.

For only a few moments, anyway. Just as Leo turned a left, he felt a hand sneaking toward his zipper and he jumped in surprise with a gasp.

“I’ll suck you off right here, right now if you tell me where we’re going.”

“No!” Leo yelled as he swatted Jim’s hand away. “Not in the car, an’ especially not while I’m drivin’.”

As they neared their destination, Leo spoke up again. “Okay, we’re almost there. Close your eyes.”

“I don’t even get to—”

“No. Look… I know you’re really excited, but I—” Time to play the guilt card. “I worked real hard on this and I just – I really want it to be a surprise, okay? Close your eyes?”

That seemed to placate him. Jim closed his eyes and even covered them.

“No lookin’, or no couples massage.”

“I wasn’t gonna, I promise,” Jim replied. He certainly sounded sincere.

Only after Leo found a spot and parked did he give Jim the okay. “Alright, you can open your eyes now.”

Jim finally tore his hands away and blinked as he adjusted to the light again, glancing around until focusing squarely on the sign for the aquarium. “Really?!”

“Really, darlin’,” Leo murmured as his heart flipped in his chest.

Jim made a high-pitched squeak, his grin splitting his face in two. “Is it really the aquarium?!”

“It’s really the aquarium.”

Jim clawed at his seat belt buckle and it hit the window with a clang as he surged forward to give Leo one of the deepest kisses he had yet to exchange with him, making a loud ‘mwah’ sound when he drew away. “You’re the best!”

Leo barely got out of the car before Jim dragged him toward the ticket line. “Hold yer horses, Jim, I gotta lock the car!”

Once he did, he trailed Jim, who stood at the end of the line, vibrating with excited energy. Already their trip was worth every penny.

“It’s seventeen dollars for a day pass; two bucks more if we wanna see a movie, four for two.”

Leo tried to curl an arm around Jim’s waist, though the other man was far too excited to do anything even remotely close to standing still, showing even more anticipation than the nearby noisy children. “What’re you thinkin’?”

“Can we get the day pass with both movies?” he asked with a hopeful smile.

“Of course.”

Another ear-to-ear grin threatened to claim Leo’s heart for all of time. “I wonder what movies they’re playing. What exhibit do you think is first? Do you think they have tropical fish? I hope they have tropical fish.”

As Jim talked his ears off, the line advanced until they were only a few spots away from the cashier. He stopped talking and tapped Leo’s shoulder. “Wait.”

“Yeah?”

Jim pointed up at the board proclaiming ticket costs. “You qualify for the ‘youth admission rate!’”

“Huh?”

Sure enough, the board noted that tickets for visitors under the age of eighteen only cost thirteen dollars rather than seventeen without films. He crossed his arms in annoyance. Jim started giggling.

“I am not a _youth visitor, _” he muttered under his breath as Jim rubbed his shoulders.__

“You can pay more for the adult admission if it’d really make you feel better.”

He wasn’t sure if it’d make him feel better, but being treated as a ‘youth’ when he was nearly eighteen – that is to say, eight months away from eighteen – wouldn’t go over well with him. Probably.

“I dunno.”

“You wanna lie about your age to get into an aquarium for more money?” Jim chuckled.

“People have done dumber things. Remember the Galileo affair?”

“I think you’ve got me there,” Jim said. “Alright, pay your extra admission.”

Once at the kiosk, the clerk cheerfully welcomed them to the aquarium. “Two, today?”

“Two ad—adults,” Leo stammered.

“Smooth,” Jim whispered into his ear. He stroked Leo’s back as Leo handed over the money for two adult passes – complete with two movie viewings.

“Enjoy your visit!”

As they descended into the aquarium, the lights grew dimmer and the pungent tang of sea salt filled the air.

Without giving Leo a chance to stop him, Jim darted ahead (much like an actual fish in an aquarium might). Leo found him practically hopping around with excitement in the first exhibit – the touch pools.

“Oh my god oh my god, Leo! There’s fish everywhere!”

Jim had an enormous grin plastered to his face; Leo hadn’t ever seen him this excited.

“C’mon, darlin, let’s actually pick somethin’ to do.”

Leo brought him over to one of the touch pools that littered the dimly lit room, full of fish for visitors to literally touch for themselves. A nearby sign denoted the pools were full of sea cucumbers, hermit crabs, sea stars, ‘and more’. Jim plastered himself against the side of the pool, trying to get as good a look in it as possible. Leo blushed at bit at the sight of Jim’s biceps bulging up from his position – they were practically obscene.

“Don’t be afraid to poke ‘em,” said a voice behind them. Leo spun to face a supervisor, who smiled at them. “Gently, of course. Don’t wanna scare the poor things.”

The first animal Leo saw was a bright red sea cucumber slowly crawling along the side of the pool next to him. He glanced over to see Jim staring in fascination at everything in the tank, before deciding on chasing a hermit crab with a finger.

“Uh… just… touch it?”

“Sure!”

Leo hesitantly dipped a finger in the warm water, reaching for the sea cucumber and pausing a few times. Eventually he steeled his nerves enough to touch it – feeling a slimy coating as he did – only for it to shoot a jet of water out and shrivel up.

“Oh god, what happened? Did I kill it?” he drawled.

The supervisor laughed, a grin splitting her face. “No, no, they do that when they feel threatened. I think you poked it a bit too hard. It’s fine, though.”

“Oh. Alright.”

Meanwhile, Jim had a few hermit crabs clinging to his fingers, a wide, boyish smile on his face as he watched them climb all over his hand. “They tickle! You wanna hold one?”

“Uhh… I dunno. Do they bite?”

The supervisor shook her head. Jim gently pulled the largest hermit crab off his pointer finger. It wiggled its legs in the air, trying helplessly to find purchase until Jim carefully set it in Leo’s palm.

With a flat surface to explore, it calmed down and crawled along Leo’s hand, tickling him with tiny pokes of its hermit crab legs. He offered the other hand when it reached the edge of his palm.

“This is so cool,” Leo said with a smile. He glanced over at Jim to see him grinning with glee at all the crabs climbing on his fingers.

“I kind of want to get one now.”

“Have you seen the sea stars yet, boys?” asked the supervisor.

“Look at that how big that one is!” Jim pointed at it with wide eyes.

Leo returned the crab to its home in the touch pool right as Jim dragged him over to another corner, where a truly enormous blue sea star slowly crawled along the floor.

“Go on,” she said, gesturing toward the creature.

Jim dunked his hand in to gently poke it, though it didn’t react much at all. “It’s really hard; they don’t look like they would be. Are they always like that?”

While Leo took a turn prodding the sea star’s slimy, bumpy exterior, the attendant explained that sea stars have shells made of calcium carbonate.

“There’s the sea urchins too, but they’re pretty sharp. Some species are venomous, though these ones aren’t.”

The dark sea urchin nearest them certainly looked the part of ‘sharp and venomous.’

“Are you sure that’s safe to touch?”

“Well,” she started. “If you’re careful, it won’t pierce the skin or anything.”

“If I’m careful? But what about all the kids runnin’ ‘round here? What happens if one gets poked?”

“Well, we have medics—”

“What if a spine breaks off? Gets stuck in my finger?”

“Well I—”

“Or I get tetanus or something? A week from now I’ll be sittin’ at home an’ suddenly – lockjaw!”

Jim drew Leo away from the now-distressed supervisor. “Just for you, I won’t touch it either, at least so I don’t give you a heart attack.”

“You – you will not give me a heart attack!”

“Right, ‘cause you’re gonna give yourself one. I’ll be right back.”

Jim left to speak to the supervisor – presumably to apologize in Leo’s stead – leaving him feeling very much like he should have paid the child admission fee after all.

Leo watched the animals swim and crawl in the tide pool, face burning with shame. Try as he might to overhear Jim’s conversation, the excited children and din of the splashing water overpowered it.

After a few more moments, Jim returned and pulled him flush against his side. “Ready to move on?”

“Wherever you wanna go, dear.”

Jim led him hand in hand through the aquarium, stopping at every new tank to gaze in at the innumerable fish. It made Leo so happy to see Jim enjoying himself, his chest swelling with nearly-painful affection.

“What’s this big tank area?” Leo asked as they approached a big globular tank.

Jim glanced around for a sign until he found his answer. “’Octopus pen – public feedings at twelve and four.’ They let you watch?! That sounds so cool! Can we watch it?”

_I am totally gone for this man._ “Sure.” Leo surreptitiously typed an alarm into his phone for eleven forty-five as Jim dragged him, arms linked together.

When he glanced up again, Jim had led him to the tropical fish section. There were so many tanks he couldn’t decide which to look at. Jim made the decision for him and brought them to sit in front of the largest tank with the most colorful fish.

The fish swimming around in lazy circles – some of them in large schools, others in smaller groups – were far more relaxing to watch than Leo would have thought. When he glanced at Jim, he saw a childlike wonder and enrapture that alone made the trip worth it. He wished he could give Jim a better childhood – one full of memories like this, and not abusive uncles or absent mothers.

He couldn’t think like that, though – he can’t change the past. All he can do now is make a happier future for him.

“You ever wonder what it’d be like to be a fish?” Jim asked.

Leo pillowed his head on Jim’s shoulder. “Not really. Why?”

“It’d just be nice to not have to worry about homework or rugby or… anything else, really.”

“Or disapproving parents.”

Jim snorted and patted Leo’s arm. “She’ll come around.”

A few minutes later, as Leo watched a few large sailfin tang swimming together, Jim spoke up again.

“I wonder if they have any sort of society or something.”

“I’m sure they have somethin’,” Leo replied.

“I dunno what kind of society they could have. They probably don’t have rules or laws or social mores like we do.”

A pair of tang looped around to swim near the window. Leo pointed at them and asked, “Those two’ve been together the whole time. You think they’re a couple? Or friends?”

“They can’t be both? I mean… you’re my best friend, but…” Jim grabbed Leo’s hand and squeezed gently. “You’re my boyfriend, too.”

Leo squeezed back and returned his gaze to the tank to watch the enormous tropical fish frolic.

“You’re a lot of things for me,” Jim murmured.

Leo bit his lip to stave off tears and a rush of emotion, trying not to think of ‘forever’ with Jim. His father always said McCoys were long-term men when it came to relationships. With how easily they got along…

Well, there’s time to think of that later.

Totally content to sit in the pale blue light of the aquarium, Leo stayed quiet as they watched the occupants of the tank swim.

“Look at that really big one,” Jim murmured as he pointed at an enormous purple fish. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

“Yeah, she is…” he said absently as he watched it swim in big loops near the glass, maybe trying to get their attention. It looked positively elegant, almost flowery, actually. Leo wondered how something that looked so delicate could thrive in the unforgiving ocean.

Jim’s reflection in the glass caught his eye, and he glanced back and forth between Jim and the fish. The pristine waters dyed his irises an even deeper blue, and a small smile lightly crinkled his eyes. He looked at Leo just then and smiled shy as he took Leo’s hands between his. “You’re paying more attention to me than the fish.”

“I am _not,_ ” Leo fibbed.

“Come on. Looking at me is free. Looking at the fish cost us twenty-one bucks each, not counting lunch.”

“You just – it’s so wonderful seein’ you like this.”

“Like what?”

“Curious an’ excited an’… _happy._ ”

Jim glanced down, his cheeks turning a funny shade of purple in the blue lighting. “It’s okay, I like looking at you too. Besides, I like seeing you squirm, touching everything in the pools.”

“Hey!”

“Spending time here with you is priceless. Twenty-one bucks or otherwise.”

Leo gaped. “I can’t believe you said that.”

“Too Hallmark Moment for you?” Jim asked, batting his eyelashes at him.

“Stop! You’re ridiculous,” Leo replied, pawing Jim away and making him laugh.

Leo’s phone beeped – the octopus feeding.

“Someone calling?” Jim asked, craning his neck over Leo’s shoulder to peer at his phone.

“No – it’s almost noon. Let’s go back to the octopus pen.”

Jim rushed off with a big grin on his face, yelling something Leo didn’t quite catch, and he had to jog to keep up. He found Jim crammed in front among some grade-schoolers. The octopus attendant had already started.

The attendant – a charming man with a slight British accent – sat on an overhang over the octopus tank. He spoke loudly to everyone, rattling off fact after fact about North Pacific octopi. Using a hooked pole, he gently lifted the octopus’ limbs for demonstration – and maybe for the octopus’ amusement.

Jim’s world narrowed to just the attendant’s monologue and the octopus, watching in fascination as the enormous creature undulated in the water with startling dexterity, seeming to billow freely as if made of smoke. Leo, too, could scarcely draw his eyes away as the attendant tossed a giant shrimp to the octopus for it to eat – although when it came to the actual act of eating, he had to look away.

“This is so cool!” Jim exclaimed, dragging Leo in by the elbow to get a closer look. Despite the inch of glass between him and the octopus, he still felt a little uneasy near it.

The beak unnerved him the most. An animal as mushy and flexible as an octopus having a beak seemed so alien to him. By coincidence – as if to deepen the disturbance – the attendant began explaining what the beak of the octopus is used for, tossing it another shrimp for it to crunch up and forcing Leo to divert his gaze.

“Jim, I – I’m not so sure if…”

His musings fell upon deaf ears; Jim hugged him tight, eyes full of wonder as he watched the octopus scale the glass wall in search of more food. So, he knuckled down and did what he could to enjoy watching the octopus crunch on thawed shrimp with its creepy beak.

When the demonstration ended, Jim – in a strange moment of irony – proclaimed “I’m hungry. Can we go to the cafeteria?”

The cafeteria – the top floor of the aquarium, styled after a pirate ship and half-open to air – smelled chiefly and somewhat disturbingly of fried fish. The floorboards creaked as expected, and people lined up to order what probably was low quality and greasy.

Indeed, what populated the menu looked to be fairly standard bar food. Jim decided on a hamburger and salad, Leo on chicken strips and a corn dog.

“A corn dog? Really?” Jim asked when they took a seat by the open windows overlooking the river. The table was a tad sticky when Leo let his wrist rest on the edge. He grabbed a napkin and laid it out under his plate and tried not to think about how dirty the table may be.

“What’s wrong with a corn dog?” Nothing, that’s what.

“I dunno, seems kind of junky.”

“Whatever.” Leo dipped the end of it in ketchup and took a bite, letting out a quiet moan of appreciation. He hadn’t had a corn dog since he was a kid. “Wow, this is good.” He thought about his mother’s homemade corn dogs – the ones she hadn’t made since he was in grade school – a memory nostalgic enough to ache in his chest.

Jim to the contrary did not partake in his meal yet, opting to stare instead.

“Jim? Your burger’s gettin’ cold.”

“Huh?” he murmured, looking down at his meal in surprise as if it had materialized in front of him. “Oh.”

Jim alternately took bites of his burger and salad, but his gaze always diverted back up toward Leo. “What?” he finally asked as Jim looked at him as if he’d turned purple.

“Nothing.”

“Whatever,” Leo muttered as he cut into a chicken strip.

Several minutes later, Jim let his silverware clatter to the table. “Can you not eat that so… suggestively?”

“What in the blazes are you talkin’ about?”

“Your corn dog. It just – look, take another bite, but think about how you’re doing it.” Leo glared in bewilderment, wondering just what had gotten into Jim. As he took a bite, he wondered if his boyfriend had gone delirious from aquarium excitement—

Oh.

“See?” Jim hissed. “Do you have to mouth at it like that?”

“You’re insane,” Leo mumbled around the corn dog as he finally noticed Jim covering his lap with one hand. “Jim, there are people around! Cover yourself better.”

Jim blushed as he took a few more napkins to conceal himself. “See?”

Leo smirked as another devious idea came to mind. “Here, you take a bite,” he said as he offered the corn dog to Jim.

“What? No, that’s too junky.”

“You’ll eat pizza any day of the week but you won’t eat this.”

“Pizza’s different. Your dad always orders gourmet stuff.”

Leo pushed the corn dog closer until he poked Jim’s lips with it. Jim made an ugly grimace and recoiled. “Stop,” he griped.

“C’mon, you gotta at least try it.”

Jim spluttered when Leo prodded his lips again. “Okay, okay, just stop pokin’ me with it.” Jim snatched the corn dog from him, though Leo’s giggles died in his throat as Jim overacted taking a bite from the corn dog, acting more like he were mouthing Leo’s cock than actually eating anything. Leo’s pants tightened and he had to cover himself with napkins, too.

He grumbled and grabbed it away from Jim. “Hey, you didn’t even take a bite!”

Jim cackled and threw a napkin at him. “Finish your corn dog so I can think clean again.”

“You never think clean.”

“Neither do you, apparently.”

Leo stuttered and angrily sliced another chicken strip in half. “Do you wanna see those movies or not? Because if you don’t eat faster, we’re gon’ miss ‘em.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll eat.”

 

* * *

 

While they were a few minutes late, Jim kept quiet about it, since his slow eating caused their tardiness in the first place.

The first movie was about coral reefs and the countless species of fish that live in them. Throughout, Leo stole little glances at Jim to catch his reaction. At some point, Jim’s hand twined with his, though he seemed unaware of it.

The conservation angle near the end of the short film was a bit depressing – Leo didn’t like thinking of anything dying out for any reason.

The second movie was about shallow tide pools and the life that occupies them. Not as interesting to him as the first one, he tried desperately not to nod off, Jim’s occasional interjection the only thing keeping him awake.

When the second movie finally ended – Leo feeling a little guilty for not liking it – Jim led him to the next exhibit: brackish and freshwater fish.

He didn’t last very long – perhaps fifteen minutes. Jim preferred the colorful fish from the tropical exhibit, and brought Leo back to take a second look at it.

“It’s nearly two fifteen,” Leo said after a while, looking at his phone. He had far too many photos of fish and Jim.

“Aw… what about the marine mammals?”

“We gotta go soon if you wanna keep that appointment.”

Jim looked longingly at the sign directing visitors toward the marine mammals and birds exhibit. “I guess we can see them at the zoo or something. Can we stop by the gift shop?”

The gift shop had most of the typical tourist souvenirs – clothing, mugs, calendars – but also a good deal of other things. Fish-themed puzzles and toys littered the shelves, and Leo spent a few minutes just perusing those.

He vaguely registered the sound of floorboards creaking, and—

Something soft poked him in the cheek and he whirled to face his assaulter, only to see an enormous fish staring at him.

“Isn’t it adorable?” Jim asked. He mushed the stuffed fish – a white-and-black striped thing that he recognized from earlier – between his hands and prodded Leo with it again.

“I – stop that!” he laughed as Jim poked him with it again. He stole it from Jim with a quick swipe of his hand, and upon closer inspection, the tag read ‘sailfin tang plushy.’ Predictably, it had a wide, cartoony smile. “That’s so cute…”

Jim turned back toward the display of stuffed animals, leaving Leo standing with the fish in hand, returning a moment later with a large stuffed clownfish.

“Look at this one!” he grinned, waving it in Leo’s face to mimic the movement of an actual fish. “How are these not sold out?”

“Maybe they have…” Leo trailed off as Jim brought the plush sailfin to the register. “Uh…” He turned back toward the clothing racks to look at the baseball caps until Jim returned with a bag a few minutes later.

“I am one hundred percent ready to have my back beat up.”

Leo rolled his eyes as he turned to face a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Jim. “I don’ think they’re gonna beat up your back.”

“Oh. Well that’s a little disappointing.”

“At least… I hope not.”

Out into the sun they strode, past the line of people eager to enter the aquarium. It seemed a lot brighter now, and Leo had to squint.

“I bet it’d feel great after a good workout,” Jim said as he clambered into the passenger seat.

“Well, I guess we’re gonna find out soon.”

 

* * *

 

While Jim dropped off his souvenir bag, Leo sat in the spa lobby, fidgeting nervously. Ten minutes and counting.

This would be his first massage, and although Jim was excited, Leo felt the tightness in his shoulders and the slight sick feeling of apprehension. Even Jim touching him still bothered him a bit, as they’d discussed the prior night. That was improving, at least. A stranger, though? He really wasn’t keen on the idea of a stranger touching him.

Jim returned with a big grin and plopped down in the seat next to Leo. “This is gonna be awesome. I wonder, there were a bunch of massage types. What are they gonna do other than have us together?”

That’s right – they’d be together. No matter what happened, Jim would be there. Right next to him, he hoped.

“Hey,” Jim murmured, curling an arm around Leo and pulling him close. “I bet I know what’s wrong: you don’t want a stranger touching you.”

Leo nodded, thinking maybe if he told Jim ‘I can’t do this,’ he’d understand.

“I—”

“I really appreciate you doing this,” Jim interrupted. “Wait, what were you saying?”

“Oh… nothing, don’t worry about it.”

Leo distracted himself with a magazine on the latest celebrity drivel – someone caught in a sex scandal _yet again _– for the next few minutes until a uniformed woman approached them.__

“Are you Jim and Leonard?”

Of course they’d use the hotel record to get their names. They couldn’t possibly have the decency to _ask. _“Yeah, that’s us.”__

“Hi,” she said with a smile. “So it seems you two have a couples massage in the works.”

“Yeah,” Jim said, excitement barely contained – he could _hear _the smile.__

“Cool, I’m more than a little jealous myself, I’ve never had one. So before we begin, do you have any questions?”

So many questions.

“Uhh… well, I guess… what’s gonna happen?”

The employee smiled at Leo – a practiced smile, like she’d been asked this too many times before. “Well, I’m bringing you to a private room designed for couples such as yourselves. After I leave, you strip down and get on the table under the sheets, and after a few moments your masseuses will come in and start working.”

“Is it like a sports massage or…” Jim asked, trailing off.

“No, no,” she laughed. “This is a relaxation massage. Now, if you’ll follow me?”

She led them through a few hallways, all of them leading off to doors without windows. A handful were labeled, things such as ‘sauna’, ’foot treatments,’ and ‘mud bath’ – the didn’t use real dirt, did they? Absolutely nothing about that sounded sanitary or like something Leo was inclined to do.

“Alright, here we are,” she sang as she unlocked the door to what was apparently ‘their’ room. As soon as she swung the heavy door open, the light scent of vanilla bombarded his senses. Inside the dimly lit room, a pair of long massage tables decorated with roses obstructed the center of the room. Candles littered the area, a fireplace crackled, and a bathtub sat in the corner.

A bathtub…?

“Wait, what…?”

“Alright, so as I said earlier, this is a relaxation massage for you two. Now, this works best if you don’t wear anything under the sheets—”

A cold grip of anxiety shot through Leo’s gut at the idea of stripping nude for two strangers.

“—but our massage therapists make sure to leave you covered to preserve your modesty.”

“Oh,” Leo sighed in relief.

The woman covered her mouth to hide the bemused smile. “Don’t worry, that’s a common misconception. You aren’t on top of the sheets. We want you to feel relaxed and secure while enjoying your stay.”

“Oh, I… okay.” Naked under the sheets was a bit better than naked on top; at least they wouldn’t see him directly. “They aren’t gonna – I mean this is my first massage and… how close to um… are they gonna get?”

With carefully practiced reassuring gestures and tone she said, “They won’t be going anywhere near anything intimate, and if they do get too close, just let them know – politely, of course – that you aren’t comfortable with it.” She turned on a small stereo system, and the sound of waves crashing on a beach filled the room. “Any more questions?”

“Jim?”

Jim shook his head and hopped in place, excitement still barely contained. “Nope.”

“Alright, you two enjoy. They’ll be in in just a few moments.”

Once she shut the door behind her, Jim turned toward a table and carefully moved the bouquet of roses – actual, factual roses – onto a nearby counter.

“Jim, I don’t know about this…”

Jim rounded the table and crowded into Leo’s space.

“Wait, what—”

Jim cupped his jaw and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “I’ll be right here, okay?”

“Okay.” He would have to talk to Jim later about this whole ‘kissing him to shut him up’ thing.

Jim spun around and pulled off his shirt. Leo shamelessly appreciated his taut back muscles as he wriggled out of the tight fabric. He lost himself for a moment, watching them shift, trailing the curve of his spine down toward the underwear gripping his waist low and—

Then he remembered the masseurs – masseuses? – would be there shortly.

With every article of clothing shed he felt more awkward and embarrassed. He nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise when Jim stroked his back with a gentle caress of his palm to ease his fears before climbing under the sheets. Leo bit back a whine as he braced himself to remove the last shred of cloth guarding his insecurities from prying eyes.

“It’ll be fine,” Jim murmured.

He nearly ripped his underwear off and unceremoniously tossed it to join the rest of his clothing before hastily crawling between the sheets of his table.

A few moments later, a knock at the door grabbed his attention. The door opened, and a pair of voices chorused into the room. “Hello,” said a man, as did a woman.

“How are we, today?” the woman asked.

“Doing good,” Jim said, sounding muffled. Leo turned his head to see Jim buried in the face cradle.

A friendly-looking man approached them both, standing between the tables. “Which one of you is Jim?”

Jim held up a hand and did a little two-fingered wave. “Here.”

“Okay.”

“And you must be Leonard?” asked the woman, the sound of her footsteps at Leo’s right.”

“Yeah,” he croaked.

“A little nervous, are we?” she asked, a slight chuckle to her tone.

“I’m – yeah, I’m a little nervous.”

His heart pounded as he heard caps of bottles being opened and closed. “I’ve been told this is your first massage?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well, I don’t bite, but since you’re nervous…”

She explained – in a quiet and soothing voice barely louder than the stereo – what she’d be doing, how long it’d take, and reasserted that telling her is the best way to stop something that made him uncomfortable.

“O-okay…”

“Would you like oil, or cream?”

“Uh… I don’t know.”

“How does vanilla lavender sound?”

Leo tried to look over his shoulder, barely getting a look at the woman digging around in a small bag of bottles. “That’s good, I guess.” He wasn’t allergic to either, so…

“Okay, try to relax. This shouldn’t hurt.”

“And… if it does?”

“Well…” The quiet snap of a bottle cap startled him. “I _am _a licensed massage therapist, so we can find the problem area and fix it, or I can just leave it at relaxation.”__

No amount of pain sounded fun, but if it’d solve existing pain, then… “That sounds good.”

He heard two palms being rubbed together and he gripped the legs of the table, bracing for contact.

“Whoa, you’re a little tense, are you there?”

“Uhh…”

“Why don’t I start with… the upper back, maybe?”

Leo nodded as best he could with his head laying on the face cradle. The first press of warm, oily skin made him flinch. He glanced over at Jim, who already seemed blissed out under the hands of the man kneading his back. As if on cue, Jim said, “Leo, are you giving your masseuse problems?”

“No! I just…”

“Shhh… gimme your hand.”

Jim blindly groped for his hand until they smacked each other. He twined their fingers together in a tiny gesture of intimacy the masseuses surely wouldn’t mind. “Just relax, okay?”

The woman asked, “Am I good to start?”

“Yeah.”

He still tensed up under the next press of hands, though Jim rubbing his thumb in tiny circles helped a good deal. Eventually the sweeps of palms over his back spreading scented oils turned from stressful to soothing.

“Hey, this ain’t so bad,” he drawled. Jim chuckled and squeezed his hand. “Yeah, this’s nice.” His masseuse worked lower and lower down his back, though as long as she didn’t go too far down, she could keep doing what she’s doing for all Leo cared.

He only vaguely registered anything happening for a while, drifting in an odd trance-like state. All his stress, anxiety, and every care in the world other than Jim’s tender grip around his hand and the fingers working out every knot of tension in his back faded.

“This is the best idea you’ve ever had, Jim,” he said, muffled by the face cradle.

“We’re doing this every month,” said Jim in a sleepy tone.

“Can’t afford it.”

“Shame.”

She moved on to his neck, his arms, then his legs, and before he knew it, both masseuses quietly said they were finished.

“Enjoy your time together,” the man said – Leo could hear a slight smirk in his voice. What was that about?

Leo glanced around the room for a few moments, wondering what to do now, when Jim interrupted his thoughts. “Hey, lock the door.”

“Huh?” Leo turned to face Jim only to see him looking at Leo with a big grin. “Why?”

“Just trust me.”

Leo raised an eyebrow, but walked over and locked it. He hadn’t even turned around when Jim bodily picked him up and wrapped around him, kissing his cheek and neck right there in the middle of the room.

“Jim, what’re you doin’?”

Jim spun him around so Leo’s crotch pressed right against his hairy abs. “I pretended his hands were yours for a while.”

Leo raised an eyebrow and curled his legs around Jim. “And holdin’ mine didn’t break that fantasy at all?”

Jim finally planted a deep kiss on the lips and stroked down Leo’s back. “Not a bit.”

He whirled them around, making Leo slightly dizzy, and Jim sat down on the edge of the tub, Leo still on his lap. Hardly an opportune time for anything particularly intimate, Leo shied away from Jim’s passionate mouthing at his neck when his hard cock pressed between his ass cheeks.

“Jim,” Leo huffed. “This really isn’t the time or place…”

“The sign says we can,” Jim replied, voice muffled from his face buried in Leo’s shoulder.

Leo glanced at a sign on the counter and squinted. Sure enough, it proudly proclaimed…

_**We encourage couples to enjoy playful moments in the whirlpool tub after a relaxing couple’s massage in the privacy of their spa room** _

“I – well, okay,” he said with a bit of resignation – if the sign said it was okay… why not? “But I—”

Jim cut him off with a devouring kiss, taking Leo’s lips in his in a sudden surge of passion. His cock insistently poking Leo begged for attention, and the harder Leo’s got, the more he wanted Jim’s.

“You’re such a horn dog,” Leo chuckled as he clambered off Jim’s lap only to bury his face in Jim’s chest.

Jim cupped the back of Leo’s head and stroked him as Leo kissed downward, kneeling in the tub when he couldn’t bend over any further. Leo curled his fingers around Jim’s cock and kissed the tip. Jim shuddered when Leo mouthed at the head.

“What?” Leo asked.

“Your beard,” Jim murmured as he bit a lip.

Realization dawned on Leo and he slowly rubbed Jim’s dick all over his chin. Jim writhed under him, gripping Leo’s shoulders to find support as he nearly lost his footing from his legs shuddering.

“Jesus Christ…”

As Leo nuzzled Jim’s manhood, Jim fought with him a bit, a hand at the back of Leo’s head trying to draw his lips toward his achingly hard cock. The more he evaded to brush his cheek against Jim’s length or mouth and kiss the hilt, the more Jim whined.

“Please,” Jim finally said.

Leo looked up at Jim’s face and stopped sucking the base of Jim’s dick. “Please what?”

“Suck me off, Leo, please,” he begged.

_Jackpot._

Leo wrapped his fingers around the hilt and opened wide. Jim let out a breath through pursed lips as he slowly pushed Leo down on him until Leo had every inch between his lips.

He really wasn’t lying about pretending the masseur’s hands were Leo’s; when he wrung Jim’s cock from hilt to tip and sucked, a big spurt of precum coated his tongue and Leo lapped it up.

“Oh _god _you feel so good,” Jim whispered. “That mouth, that beautiful mouth.”__

Leo sucked him as slowly as Jim let him, delving into the experience of sucking a dick – Jim’s dick, his _lover’s_ dick – and pulled off with a little pop to kiss the tip.

“Wanna make you cum, Jim,” he said in as sultry a tone he could muster. “Wanna make you feel so good, wanna make you cum a thick load for me.”

Jim bit his lip again and stroked Leo’s oily back. “Oh god, Leo…”

Leo closed his eyes and dove in, hollowing his cheeks around Jim’s big cock and swirling his lips around a bit. His tongue molded to the underside and every time he swallowed, Jim shuddered again.

“You think that hng… You think they know we’re doing this?” Leo looked up to see Jim’s eyes blown wide open, staring right at him. “Bet they’re jealous of me.”

“Huh?”

“Bet they’re jealous I h—haaave a beautiful boyfriend,” he huffed out.

Leo moaned and sucked him deep again, keeping eye contact as best he could.

“What would you do if th—they walked in?”

_Probably die of mortification._

“Would you keep sucking?”

Contrary to how he _actually_ felt, Leo slurped off Jim’s cock, licked the tip, and said “I’d keep makin’ love to you with my lips,” before diving in again.

Jim let out a long shaky sigh. Leo kissed and licked his balls and thighs, and Jim said “I wanna cum for you, I’m almost there.”

Leo brought Jim’s hand to the back of his head and let him take control. Jim slowly, gently fucked Leo’s lips until he pushed Leo all the way to the hilt, until Leo kissed his lap. He bit back a whine and throbbed in Leo’s mouth, spurting jizz in warm ropes. “God,” he grunted as he pumped Leo’s throat full of cum, their eyes locked as he stroked Leo’s head with a shaky touch.

Leo kept himself deep on Jim’s dick as he swallowed down his second load for the day, closing his eyes and deeply smelling vanilla and his boyfriend.

Jim’s belly heaved as Leo kept sucking his softening cock, still thick as always. Jim looked right in Leo’s eyes and said “I wanna suck your dick.”

Leo pulled off and squeezed out the last of Jim’s cum to lap it up. He had a strange impulse and indulged the urge to rub Jim’s dick all over his soft beard. Jim let out a few pants as Leo rubbed his manhood until Jim stood and picked Leo up.

“Hey! I wasn’t done.”

Jim wordlessly set Leo down where he once sat and turned on the water. He picked out a bubble bath that smelled like strawberry and lemon and dumped some under the tap and making a huge amount of suds.

Leo snuck a peek at the bottle he chose. The adorably flowery label said ‘Love & Sunshine,’ and if that didn’t scream Jim then he wasn’t sure what would.

With the tub filling, Jim returned his attention to Leo and knelt in front of him, their eyes locked together. Leo held his breath in anticipation, reaching a hand out to stroke Jim’s neck. Jim’s eyes wandered over him as he stroked Leo’s thighs, settling on his crotch. Leo’s mind turned toward a subject he’d been waffling over for a while – asking Jim to take him.

He looked around the room. Massage oils – no. Scented soaps – no. On the counter, hand sanitizer – _no. _Nothing nearby could even remotely serve as lube in a pinch without at least mild discomfort.__

And then there’s the location. Leo wanted intimacy, not vaguely-private massage room only locked because the hotel staff willed it.

And there goes his erection.

“Come on,” Jim said, wrenching him from his thoughts. He gave a kiss right above his cock and dragged Leo’s length over his beard. His leg jerked from the scratchy sensation, splashing water over the edge of the tub. “Can’t believe we only just figured out about the beards.”

“Oh god, your beard,” Leo huffed out. Jim burrowed his face in Leo’s crotch, a tickle of air rushing over his skin as Jim inhaled the smell of him. Wet lips met his balls, and his cock valiantly stiffened again, standing at attention and ready for Jim’s mouth.

Jim curled an arm around Leo, keeping it low and pulling him forward. He stroked his other hand up and down Leo’s tummy, combing through brown hair. He pressed an open-mouthed kiss to the tip of Leo’s dick. “Bet they’re outside,” he said before drawing Leo’s length between his lips.

He can always ask Jim to take him later.

Jim dutifully sucked him deep, slicking him up with spit. Leo let his head fall back and hit the tile wall. He yelped, but it sounded more like a moan, and bit his lip.

Jim pulled off and kissed the shaft. “Bet they can hear me,” he said. He turned to shut off the water, silencing the splashing again. “Bet they can hear me sucking you off.” He pulled Leo deep again and sweet pleasure blinded him to all other senses.

All he could hear was Jim’s tiny sucking noises, aside the occasional footsteps outside that sent a little jolt of fear right to his gut. Jim just kept sucking though, as if he, too, were truly oblivious to everything except Leo’s dick down his throat.

“Wanna make you cum,” he said. “Wanna suck out every drop.”

That was enough for Leo; his cock swelled slightly in Jim’s mouth with the first shot of cum and with every rope after. Jim swallowed and rubbed his belly as he filled his mouth until not a drop of cum remained.

“God, you taste so good,” Jim chuckled as he pulled off. He wrung out a few more drops and lapped them up, then gave a few soft sucks to the tip. Jim kept sucking him for a bit, even though he had long since gone soft. In his stupor, all Leo had the brainpower to do was stroke and pet him in quiet appreciation.

It was somehow really sweet, how Jim kept sucking him even though he probably wasn’t getting anything out of it. Or was he?

Leo glanced at the door – still closed, still locked. This whole ‘having sex in public’ thing was more harrowing than was probably worth the trouble.

“Jim,” Leo choked out as Jim took him all the way to the balls. “Jim, stop.”

Jim let him slip out from between his lips and frowned up at him. “Aw, I wanted another load.”

He really should take the ‘multiple consecutive orgasms’ page out of Jim’s book. “As much as I’d love that, we don’t—”

The little shit gave another kiss to his dick.

“—don’t have that much time. I’d rather not be caught with my cock down your throat.”

“Bet that’d have them talking for weeks if they did catch us.”

Jim sat down in the tub facing away and reached for a fluffy loofah. Leo slipped in and curled around him from behind in the hot, sudsy water, laying his head on Jim’s shoulder as he hugged him. Jim had picked a vanilla oil – he could still smell it as he nuzzled Jim’s neck.

“This was a great idea,” Jim said. Leo could hear the megawatt grin in his voice.

Once Jim soaped up the loofah, Leo stole it and started washing Jim’s abs.

“Anything planned after this?”

Leo hummed and shut his eyes, indulging in hugging his lover. “Honestly, probably a quick dinner an’ then driving home.”

“Aw… well, I guess this had to come to an end eventually.” Jim shuddered when Leo gently scrubbed his crotch.

“I’d rather it not, but we still have school tomorrow.”

“School sucks. Let’s run away and stay on vacation.”

Leo chuckled, leaning more weight on Jim’s body. “I’m sure that’ll work out well, what with our excellent income.”

A splash of sudsy water hit his face and Leo spluttered. Try as he might to clear bubbles away from his eyes, soapy hands weren’t good at that.

“Jim!”

“Playful moments!”

Leo blindly pawed at Jim, trying to exact vengeance – whatever that vengeance may be – though Jim escaped his grasp. He heard Jim walking around in the tub to sit behind him, pulling Leo against his chest.

“I can’t see,” he said. The loofah met his chest as Jim started to wash him.

“You don’t have to see to enjoy your boyfriend washing you.”

Leo kept his eyes scrunched shut as Jim scrubbed him with fruity-scented soaps. He started at the scrape of stubble over his shoulder.

“Don’t you dare give me beard burn, Jim Kirk.”

Jim huffed out a laugh and pulled Leo in to more squarely sit on his lap. He left kiss after kiss to Leo’s upper back and held him gently from behind.

“I don’t want our vacation to end,” Jim muttered.

Leo sighed and lay a hand somewhere on Jim’s head where it sat on his shoulder. “I don’t either.”

Jim brushed the soap away from Leo’s eyes with a damp cloth. The massage room looked blurry after keeping his eyes closed for so long.

“Screw school, and homework, and rugby, and—”

“Jim?” Leo asked, his eyebrows skyward. “What’s gotten into you? You love rugby.”

“I – yeah… I don’t like championships, though.”

“I can imagine why.”

“It’s so much stress and I feel like shit if we lose…”

Maybe just this once he could push the envelope again. “How do you feel about playing it full time?”

All Leo heard for a few moments was the sound of splashing water as Jim bathed him. He didn’t _think _he crossed a line.__

“I dunno,” he muttered.

Muttering – not the best response ever. Still, better than defensiveness. Perhaps all he could hope for was introspection.

“Well, I mean… you don’t really have to think about it right now.”

“I haven’t,” Jim admitted.

Jim trailed his hands further down to play with Leo’s crotch.

“Stop,” Leo said, interrupting him with a brush of his hand and a small laugh.

“You are absolutely no fun.”

“I’m plenty of fun,” Leo grumbled.

“If you were plenty of fun, you would have let me keep sucking you off.”

A knock at the door interrupted them.

“Gentlemen,” came a muffled voice through the door. “I just wanted to let you know you have about ten minutes left.” Quiet footsteps moved away from the door.

“Well, I guess that’s that.”

Jim ran the water and drain, dumping fresh water on Leo’s face to clear away the remaining suds. When he opened his eyes again, Jim’s furry butt greeted him as he bent over to towel himself off.

“Oh, hello,” Leo murmured, leaning in to press a kiss to one of the cheeks.

Jim giggled again. “Okay, maybe you are fun.”

A few minutes later they were dressed again and out in the hallway. An attendant escorted them back to the lobby. “I hope you enjoyed your stay,” he said. “Have a good evening!”

“Hungry, yet?”

“Starving,” Jim answered.


	31. Chapter 31

Leo didn’t want to spend too much more on their vacation than strictly necessary. After they checked out of the hotel, they stopped at a cheap drive-through to pick up some burgers and onion rings for the road, then began the long journey home.

Jim took a nap for the first hour or so, snuffling softly in the passenger seat with every exhale. Leo occupied himself watching the cars pass. He counted the out-of-state license plates and lost count twice. He counted cows in the fields and the barns they passed before the cows bored him.

A soft cough startled Leo and he glanced over at Jim – when had he woken up?

“Have a good nap?” he asked, patting Jim’s thigh.

“Uh, yeah. Yeah.”

“I didn’ even notice you wake up.”

Jim cleared his throat again. “Yeah, I’ve been awake for a while. Listen, uh… can I talk to you about something?”

Everything Leo knew about relationships from television and movies told him that wasn’t a good thing to hear. His gut chilled with a spike of anxiety, and he said “Sure” in a wavering, cautious voice.

“I uh… I just – I wanted to say thank you, for the vacation.”

The freshly erected barriers immediately collapsed. “You don’t have to thank me—”

“Wait, just – lemme talk for a sec.” Jim took a deep breath and let it out through his nose in a noisy gust. “I – um – before we met, what did you think about me?”

A lot of things, actually. “Loud, athletic, outgoing, popular?”

“Heh, well… half of those are true. Popularity can be pretty shallow, though. You thought I had a lot of friends, right? But, you know by now that I really don’t.”

Leo shot a sidelong glance at Jim – who seemed smaller than usual. It made him look five years younger – and much more vulnerable.

“It’s not for lack of trying, either. It’s just… in grade school I didn’t want anyone to know Frank was such an ass, so I never let anyone come over. After I was arrested, I didn’t want anyone to know about _that_ , so I changed schools.”

Leo didn’t have any friends besides Jim… “I know how that goes. When we moved here, I lost what few friends I had…”

“After I got out, nobody seemed interested in me other than this new hunk of meat. Just a pretty face and nice body to latch onto and ride the surge of popularity I didn’t want.”

Leo’s chest clenched as Jim’s voice began to waver. This could go south quickly if Jim delved into memories too painful.

“Even then, the people who did seem to care were only really trying to get in my pants. I can’t tell you how many times it happened.”

Leo stared ahead at a semi as his gut twisted. “I’m not really sure I want to know.”

Jim gave a mirthless laugh, making Leo start a bit. “Once, last year, three girls were all in a race to see who could get me in bed first.”

Leo gaped and glanced at him. “What? What happened?”

“Well, one of them was really… uh… eager. Really obviously eager to get it on. I finally cornered her on it – not literally – and she spilled the beans. I haven’t spoken to any of them since. Come to think of it, I’m not really sure how no one figured out I’m not into pussy.”

Leo chuckled and said, “People can be pretty dense.”

“I dunno, I was still up in the air about you when I finally asked you out. But that’s – that’s neither here nor there, so um…”

Jim stayed quiet for a few moments. Leo looked over every second he could spare to see Jim looking down at his folded hands, smoothing out his shorts, or some other nervous fiddling.

“What I’m trying to say is that, all the rumors about how much I get it on turned me into less of a person and more of a… goal. More of a conquest. I—” The watery sound of grief filled Jim’s voice as he continued. “I haven’t had anyone care about me as much as you do. This whole vacation?” He gripped Leo’s right hand and twined their fingers together. Leo glanced away from the road to see tears streaming down Jim’s face and his deep blue eyes – even bluer than usual – locked with his. “No one’s ever done anything like this for me. No one ever bothered to get to know me like you did. I – I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” Jim tightly squeezed his hand and held it to his chest. “I love you so much, Leo,” he rasped.

“Oh darlin,” Leo gasped. “I love you to pieces.”

Jim shut his eyes and kissed Leo’s knuckles. All Leo wanted was to hold him – to cradle Jim in his arms and whisper how dearly he loved him, to wipe away his tears and kiss his sweet, boyish face.

“I’m okay,” Jim chuckled. “I just – I really wanted you to know how much you mean to me.”

“I wanted you to know, too. Didn’ think words were good enough.”

“Well, I – I—” Jim puffed out air in thought. “I don’t even know what to say,” he murmured. “I loved every minute of this trip.”

“That’s all I wanted; to plan a nice trip for you.”

“Well… mission accomplished,” Jim said sheepishly.

“You dork… but, you’re—”

“Your dork.”

Leo smiled wide. “Yeah.”

 

* * *

 

Leo texted his father that they’d be staying at Jim’s house that night, leaving him free to spend more quality time together. Though David texted him ‘:-)’ he pretended it didn’t mean he thought they’d be doing anything  _too_ intimate.

“Darlin’,” he murmured as he shook Jim awake. (He had fallen asleep again in the last hour of their return trip.)

Jim shielded his eyes from the setting sun, trying to blink his contacts wet again.

“We’re home.”

“What time’s it?” Jim slurred.

“Little after eight.”

Jim stretched in his seat, smacking the roof of his car with a fist and lifting his shirt to show off midriff. “Daylight’s burning,” he groaned.

It took five minutes to get Jim to leave the comfort of his seat and another twenty to get their luggage in his room and unpacked. When they finished, Jim sat on his bed, legs splayed out and a dazed look on his face.

“What a weekend,” he said with a sleepy smile.

Leo plopped down on the end of the bed, taking in the haphazard mess Jim called ‘unpacking.’ Dirty clothing hung from the hamper (rather than sit in it), his shaving bag sat on the bureau, unceremoniously dropped between the Experience Music Project and the Royal Ontario Museum. He turned to look at Jim with a bemused smile.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

“C’mere,” Jim murmured, gathering Leo into his arms.

Leo hugged him tight, breathing him in as Jim rubbed his back. He pressed a few light kisses to Jim’s neck, getting a giggle out of him. Kissing up his neck got a shiver out of him, and he moaned when their lips met.

Leo crept his hands lower and lower until he reached the hem of Jim’s shirt and pulled up to divest him of it, getting it caught around his neck for a moment. Jim grabbed Leo’s and dragged it upward, briefly blinding him. Once free, he brought Leo in to sit on his lap.

“Hello,” he laughed. Jim palmed his chest as Leo captured his lips again.

Seemed like all Jim wanted to do was kiss, Leo getting harder by the second. Jim’s cock strained against his through his shorts, and – even though they already had sex twice that day – he couldn’t wait to see it again.

He thought of sinking deep into Jim – and of Jim sinking into him.

He wanted it. He _needed_ it. But he especially wanted Jim to _experience_ it. He wanted Jim far in him, to take him and claim him and spill deep inside him.

_There’s no time like the present; it’s now or never,_ he thought as Jim sucked on his tongue.

Leo pulled away from Jim, much to Jim’s chagrin – he let out a disappointed whine – and looked in his sapphire eyes dilated with want and whispered, “Make love to me, Jim.”

Jim froze and searched his face for a few moments. “Really?” he asked, sounding awed. “You mean like…”

Leo planted a soft kiss on Jim’s cheek. “I mean,” he started, face heating up. “I want you in me, darlin’.”

“Oh,” Jim said, a little dumb and breathless. “You – you want that?”

No. _Yes_. “I – yeah, I do.”

Jim briefly stared before his lips slowly curled up in a small grin. “Really?”

“Yes, do I have to—”

Jim tilted his head and kissed him light and sweet, halting his train of thought. He held onto Leo tight, laying back on his bed so Leo fell on top of him. He kept Leo in his strong embrace, kissing and mouthing at his lips. Jim’s hands snuck lower along his back and under his waistband, gripping his butt before he snaked Leo’s jeans off. It wasn’t until Leo managed to wrestle away that Jim paused.

“What d’you do to uh… get ready for me?” he asked, heart racing.

“Um… well, I… use the… bathroom, and then I clean… everything?” Jim said, tone trailing off and upward in uncertainty.

“Everything…?”

“Uh… me. Everything down there… is what I mean.”

“Oh I – okay, I’m gonna… go do that.”

Leo left for the bathroom feeling very awkward and nervous. After the shortest shower he’d ever taken – every second of which he thought about what he and Jim were about to do – he returned to Jim’s room, his clothing abandoned on the tile floor.

Jim sat on the edge of the bed, fiddling with his phone and stark naked, garments cast aside near his desk. He didn’t realize Leo returned until Leo cleared his throat, startling Jim into dropping his phone on the bed. “You’re back! That was… fast.”

Too nervous to really say anything, Leo approached him and straddled his lap, rubbing their dicks together for a bit of blessed friction. When he looked down, however, he gave pause at the sight of Jim’s long, thick manhood. It never really registered just how _big_ it was, not even when he held or sucked on him. That beautiful dick was a sight to behold, and a lovely thing to draw between his lips.

Inside him, though? That’s another thing entirely.

Jim kissed him insistently, his arms low around Leo’s back to support him. “I can’t – wait – to… Leo,” Jim said between kisses, stopping and looking down. “I don’t mean that, of _course_ I can wait.”

Leo glanced down to see his dick – not quite as hard as Jim’s – laying on the other man’s belly.

“Are you sure you—”

“ _Yes_ ,” Leo interrupted. “Just… don’t do it right away.”

“Well… okay.”

Leo lay down on his back, staring up at the ceiling in silence as Jim fumbled through the drawer for a bottle of lube. He wrapped his arms around himself as if to hide instead of laying spread eagled, waiting for—

A hand on his belly startled him. He glanced up to see Jim combing his fingers through the hair on his torso.

“Look, you’re obviously nervous, and I – I don’t want to do this if you’re nervous.”

The blood drained from Leo’s face.

“If you don’t want to do this, please just—”

“No, I – I do, I do! I just… it’s different. It’s new.”

“Well…” Jim absentmindedly ripped off the corner of the label on the bottle he held.

“You’re a big guy, Jim. Just…”

“I’ll go slow, okay?”

“Okay.”

Jim knelt by him and fluffed up both of his pillows. Leo sat up for one behind his head. When he pulled his legs out of the way, Jim lifted his lower back up to lay the other under him to prop his rear up, exposing him to his boyfriend – to the one man he trusted more than nearly anyone.

Jim leaned in to kiss Leo square on the lips, tongue caressing his, rubbing a palm over his chest and surely feeling his racing heart. He kissed lower and lower along his chin, neck, and chest. He barely registered the sound of the tube of lube being uncapped.

Jim abruptly left his abdomen to kiss the back of his thigh instead, tickling him as he trailed lower and lower. “You have a beautiful butt,” he said, lips curling up and dimples showing. Leo couldn’t help but laugh as Jim smoothed a palm down a cheek. Not until the chuckles abated did he realize Jim had snuck a finger past the rim already.

Leo groaned as Jim thrust in further, gently working him open. It wasn’t nearly so bad this time, though he still clenched down from anxiety. Jim just patiently twisted and rubbed him open, occasionally adding more lube as he kissed Leo’s thighs.

His leg muscles finally relaxed and Leo let them fall open to either side, giving Jim even greater access to him. He buried his face in Leo’s crotch, kissing the hilt of his cock and licking his balls. With a bit more lube he—

”—oh Jesus,” Leo groaned. He keened and writhed under Jim as he curled his fingers against Leo’s G spot.

It was almost tortuous how slowly he stretched and pulled. Even more excruciating was how Jim’s tongue kept creeping closer and closer to his cock until finally he shamelessly licked up and down his length, giving intermittent kisses to the shaft.

“Oh Jim,” Leo whined. He could feel a full three fingers keeping him open and slick. Jim pressed down on his perineum and prostate at once, his wet tongue hugging Leo’s dick. The triple sensations overwhelmed him and he clawed at the sheets as his manhood pulsed under Jim’s tongue. He glanced down to lock eyes with Jim as he shot cum all over his belly in thick, white ropes.

Jim licked up to the head and kissed it, a strand of jizz hitting the side of his face before he sucked Leo down his throat, swallowing cock and cum alike.

A broken whimper escaped his lips as Jim cleaned him off through the aftershocks. His boyfriend let him slip from his lips with a comically loud pop. Jim only hummed a laugh and thumbed the bit of cum from his beard to eat.

While Leo caught his breath, he marveled at not only how hard he came but just how _much_ he came. Even though Jim swallowed down the tail end of his load, there was so much coating his belly fur he could hardly process it.

Was that just from Jim fingering him?

While he pondered that, Jim cleaned his tummy with kisses and little licks, alternately sucking the tip of his dick even as he kept fingering him.

He _really_ needed to take a few pages out of Jim’s book when it came to sex.

Jim chuckled as Leo brought a shaky hand up to comb through his hair. “Good?”

All Leo could do was silently nod, chest still heaving.

“Um… do you think you’re ready?” Jim moved his fingers around inside Leo, making him shiver. “I’m not really getting any… uh, resistance.”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he slurred, still pliant and satiated.

Jim withdrew from him – an interesting feeling if nothing else. He watched as Jim knelt at his rear and lazily slicked his cock – with more lube than was probably necessary. Jim stroked his thigh with one hand, the other curled around his shaft. He laid his dick next to Leo’s balls as he soothingly stroked his leg.

Leo stared at the shiny head of Jim’s cock – his big, thick cock, slit leaking precum and throbbing with want – and thought of it sliding into him. He thought of how much he wanted it in him, need suddenly surging in his belly, clawing at his insides and he nearly whimpered from it all. He wanted that beautiful cock in him, making love to him, he wanted Jim to pump him full of cum and claim his body.

He wanted Jim to love him so deeply and irrevocably it stung his eyes to think about.

Briefly, almost of its own accord, Leo thought the word ‘mating,’ and pushed it from his mind. That wasn’t the right word for what he wanted.

“Okay,” Jim said, dragging Leo back to reality.

Jim positioned himself until his dick was out of sight. The push of the crown at Leo’s ass startled him. As Jim slipped in him, he braced himself for pain that never came as Jim pushed into him with ease. Jim lay a hand on Leo’s belly to reassure him, shushing between huffed out breaths.

Jim really was bigger than Leo ever realized. His slick penis dragged at the rim, feeling so wonderful but decidedly new that he could barely process it, alternately grimacing out of reflex and relaxing again.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh?”

Jim caged him to the bed, bulging arms on either side of him as he stroked Leo’s head. “You’re shaking.”

Like a leaf in a strong breeze.

“Do you wanna stop?”

“No, I – I just…”

Jim planted soft kisses – more like tiny pecks of lips – all over his face. “I won’t hurt you, I promise.”

Leo nodded and clung to Jim’s warm body on top of him. “I know you won’t. Just… hold me, Jim.”

Jim curled around him, his massive body seeming to surround Leo from all sides. Although Leo had grown nearly an inch since they met and put on pounds and pounds of muscle, Jim’s still the bigger man. He remained still, cock buried in him and keeping him open for a few minutes as he softly petted and kissed him. Only when Leo stopped quivering did Jim look in his eyes with a silent question.

“I’m okay,” Leo said, equal parts promise and permission.

Now that he had acclimated to it, he was actually able to appreciate the feeling of being stretched open, Jim’s cock a hot and heavy presence inside him. That changed when Jim drew out, Leo’s body dragging against the slick shaft. Jim’s jaw dropped, Leo gasped, and overall it was an interesting sensation.

The crown of Jim’s cock caught on Leo’s hole and Jim cradled his head to look him in the eyes, the other arm curled under him and holding him in place, a hand on his shoulder. Jim huffed out a breath when he thrust in, Leo pinned to the bed by the strong, sturdy body of his boyfriend – a solid weight on top of him. But it wasn’t an oppressive weight; it was a comforting, welcome weight. Jim’s body was the body of a loving, tender man who swore his heart to Leo, a loving and tender man kissing him and stroking his head, a loving and tender man cradling Leo against his chest like he were a precious, fragile gift.

With anxiety bleeding away, the hunger came back. All he wanted at that very moment was for Jim to plunge in and empty himself, to feel that primal bond cement itself like Leo felt every time he poured himself into Jim. He wanted to feel Jim deep inside him when he cums around him, when Jim throbs in him as he spills his load.

Jim was so careful with him as he set a slow pace of gentle thrusting that – even though he was sure he could take Jim going a little faster, a little harder – Leo relaxed into it, completely content to take it easy. Every push, every press into his g spot was a huff of pleasure and a slightly alarming, toe-curling burst of stars, stars that surrounded Jim and his sparkling eyes and bright smile, as if Jim were one of the stars too, one only Leo got to see.

“Jim,” Leo gasped. “Jim…”

Jim paused his shallow thrusts and pushed the hair out of Leo’s eyes. “Tell me what you want.”

“I – I wanna feel every inch of you,” he murmured. “Please.”

Jim’s jaw dropped and he brought Leo in for a deep kiss. He whimpered in Leo’s mouth as he pushed all the way to the hilt until Leo felt hairy balls hug his ass. He stopped there, stretching Leo open and filling him more full than he’d ever felt before.

“God… Jim, you feel amazing,” Leo panted. Jim pressed kisses all over his face as he curled tighter around Leo. Leo’s legs fell further open and Jim pulled Leo flush against him, warm belly tickling his cock. He clung to Jim like a lifeline, looking deep in his soulful blue eyes as his heart overflowed with love.

Jim nuzzled his neck – probably feeling his still-excited pulse – before planting a soft kiss.

Leo barely withheld a whimper, the moment too perfect to ruin with mortal words. Jim crushed their lips together again, his tongue seeking entry that Leo gladly offered. He gripped Leo by the shoulders and thrust in and out in a tortuously pleasurable rhythm. Leo was totally unable to move, completely at the mercy of his boyfriend. In and out, in and out, stretching and emptying him again and again, and it was exquisite. He could hardly believe they were actually doing it – that Jim was buried in him, his cock totally bare save for lube. He didn’t even care if he came, now – though the urge grew by the second. All he wanted was for Jim to feel the same bond Leo did.

Maybe mating _was_ a good word for what he wanted.

Jim had a good angle now, hitting him in the perfect place to get a tiny gasp of pleasure out of him with nearly every thrust. Leo tried his best to wrap his legs around Jim’s rear as Jim kissed him deep and passionate – tasting vaguely like their dinner but much more so like home – trying to beg without words for Jim to fill him to overflowing.

“I’m getting close,” Jim huffed out. He locked eyes again, lips trailing over Leo’s cheek. “Can I cum in you?”

“ _Please_ ,” Leo whispered. It came out as a beg – not that he was in a mental state to be embarrassed – and held on for dear life to the solid body pressing him into the bed. The intimacy he felt in the past, coming down from their highs together – knowing he’d spilled inside Jim, quietly holding him – was easily the most profound sense of connection he’d ever shared with another person. Moments away was hopefully Jim feeling it, to feel love and care for Leo and—

With how deep Jim plunged into him and with how tight he hugged, it was like he wanted to merge with Leo.

Jim’s pace stuttered and he pushed hard, right against Leo’s prostate. “Oh god,” he moaned, forehead resting against Leo’s. Leo felt Jim’s cock throb hard inside him and clenched down as the head of Jim’s dick pulsed against his G spot. When the hot cum poured over it, it sent Leo over the edge, stars flooding his vision as his entire body shook with overwhelming pleasure. He shot between them, painting both their bellies with a truly magnificent load, sticking hair and sweaty skin together as Jim emptied himself into Leo.

So gorgeous was he in every respect, even when he cums, eyes wide and jaw agape like he’d been told a secret of the universe, gasping with pleasure as he cupped Leo’s face and gazed deep in his eyes.

They came down together, heavy pants and breath shared as they stroked and caressed each other. “Stay in me,” Leo heaved out. Jim nodded before their lips met in a soft, shaky kiss. Leo indulged in the sensation of Jim, hot and wet in him after taking him deep, his own load gluing them together, hearts beating as one against each other’s chests. Jim slowly slid inside him – all the way to the hilt of his cock – taking Leo’s body as his, petting his forehead as they tenderly kissed.

“I love you so much,” Leo whispered between kisses.

Jim relaxed into him, letting himself rest fully on Leo so he really _was_ pinning him to the bed. He seemed beyond words, instead opting to nuzzle him and lavish his neck with kisses. When he drew back, however, his eyes had a telltale wet sheen to them that spoke of more than just sexual satisfaction.

“Is this how you felt? When you made love to me?” Jim asked, forehead resting against Leo’s.

“What do you feel?” Leo asked, heart skipping a beat.

“I’ve never felt so close to someone.” Jim stroked his head, pushing hair out of Leo’s eyes as he cradled him against his chest. “I’ve never loved anyone like I love you.”

Leo held back a whimper; this was everything he wanted and _more_.

“I feel like we’ve… like we…”

“Bonded?” Leo supplied.

“Yeah,” Jim chuckled, smiling as he kissed him soft and tender. “What do you feel?”

It was a little weird, having Jim buried in him – having Jim’s warm, thick cum deep inside him – but some part of him, some base, animal part of him was _deeply_ happy with it. It felt like…

“Like I’m yours. Like we belong together.”

Jim’s eyes shone bright as his lips curled upward. “You’re mine?” he asked in a whisper.

Leo nodded, and Jim took his lips in a slow, passionate kiss. He pulled Leo impossibly closer, the warm body of the man he deeply loved flush against him. Somehow, he pushed deeper, heightening the sensation of being intimately entwined with another being.

His lover drew away and sighed. “You’re mine,” he murmured. “My lion-hearted boy.”

Leo couldn’t stop the tears from falling down his cheeks. Jim seemed content to let the moment be what it was, stroking Leo’s head as he stained his face with streams of tears.

“I just – I thought for the longest time,” Leo started, Jim laying his head against his as his voice cracked. “I thought I’d never have something like this, with anyone.” Jim cupped the back of his head and buried Leo’s face in his shoulder. “I wondered if I’d ever find anyone.”

“Well. You’ve got me now.”

Leo nodded with a little choked off sob, gripping Jim’s back to ground himself.

“Right now, I just – I just wanna hold each other.”

Jim cradled Leo against his broad chest as Leo sniffled through the tears, still peppering him with kisses.

“You okay?” Jim eventually asked.

“Yeah,” Leo replied, voice wet and choked off. “I’m just… I’m so happy to have you.”

Jim smiled wide and huffed out a little laugh. “I am too.” He lay their foreheads together to lock eyes and stroked Leo’s head.

“Is it weird that I’m crying even though I’m happy?”

“No,” Jim said.

“Um… how come you never – you waited for me to ask to make love to me.”

“Of course I did. I’m not gonna make you do anything.”

Leo just stared for a moment as he processed that.

“You’ve been scared before, I just wanted this to be on your terms.”

“Oh. Well… uh, thank you.”

“It’s the least I could do for someone I care for so much.”

Leo paused for a moment. He clenched down on Jim just to feel him still buried deep. “Uh… what were the stars I kept seeing?”

“They’re like… I looked it up after the first time we did it, and it’s like…”

Jim gave pause, only making Leo more curious. “Like…?”

“I think it’s from changes in blood pressure.”

“From really passionate sex?”

Jim gave him a gentle, smiling kiss. “From really passionate sex, with someone I love dearly.”

Leo bit his lip to stop a grin from forming.

“Can we sleep like this? Me buried in you?”

Leo raised an eyebrow in indignation. “I hope you’re joking. That’d be murder on my legs.”

“Yeah but… you feel so good around me, and—”

“Would you let me do it?” Leo asked.

Jim laughed, eyes crinkled and sparkling. “No, I guess not. Okay, I’m… uh… gonna pull out, now.”

Leo bore down on Jim as he withdrew, the rim gripping Jim’s cock as if it didn’t want him to leave. Jim reared back and watched himself until he fully slipped out, leaving Leo feeling a bit empty.

“Wow,” Jim murmured, giving Leo’s butt a gentle rub.

“What?”

“I just… I can’t believe we did that. There isn’t a drop of my cum left. It’s all inside you.”

“I – really?” Every bit?

“Yeah.” Jim shifted on the bed to kneel by Leo’s side. “It, uh – it feels so good knowing that I – that I filled you up,” he said with a blush and a grin that barely showed off adorable buckteeth. He rubbed Leo’s belly, uncaring about the mess now all over his fingers.

Leo sat up – his legs aching as they took a normal position – and clenched down to keep Jim inside him. “I’m yours, Jim,” he said, feeling a little awkward for repeating himself just because he didn’t want the moment to end.

Jim cupped his jaw – getting jizz all over his beard – and kissed him tender and hungry. “I’m yours, too, Leo. I love you, with all of my heart.” Jim smooched his forehead as Leo’s eyes grew wet again.

Jim apparently decided his tongue was more than good enough to clean him off, because he started licking Leo’s beard with a light rasp of his tongue, swallowing down whatever he could get.

“Hey! That tickles! What’re you doin’?”

“I’m not gonna waste perfectly good jizz,” he said as he sucked his fingers clean and pushed Leo down so he could kiss his pecs. He kept licking and kissing until Leo’s belly was clean, then fingered cum off his abs and ate every drop.

Leo’s eyes wandered down toward his crotch. Was there such a thing as ‘too soon’ when it came to wanting your boyfriend to take you again?

“I bet I know what you’re thinkin’,” Jim teased with a big grin, running a finger along Leo’s jaw. “You’re thinkin’ about how I felt inside you, aren’t you?”

“No…” Leo fibbed, his hardening cock betraying him.

Jim apparently had ideas other than another romp; he lay with his back against the wall and pulled Leo toward him, all four limbs curling around Leo and trapping him in place. He rolled over with a quiet snort and a grin to shut off the lamp.

Even though he was warm enough to be Leo’s blanket, Jim covered them up anyway and clutched Leo tight, nearly squeezing his lungs empty.

“My Leo,” Jim said, felt more than heard as a vibration against his chest. He nuzzled Leo’s neck, snuffling quietly as he fell into a post-sex slumber, eventually rolling on top of Leo anyway. Jim held on tight, even in sleep, cradling Leo against himself as if Leo were what kept his heart beating.

_My Jim,_ he thought, before dreams took him.


	32. Chapter 32

If Leo didn’t truly appreciate waking up with a very muscular man wrapped around him, he’d probably ask Jim to give him a bit of space when they slept together. Because he _does_ appreciate having a man hold him tight enough that escape is all but impossible, overheating was a very real possibility – or at least it felt that way when he woke up. Jim hadn’t budged at all, still holding him snug and secure in his arms and on top of Leo, leaving him little recourse but to cling to Jim’s burly frame.

Jim’s cock pressing against his wasn’t helping his situation. Or his Situation.

“I don’t feel good,” Jim said quietly.

“Huh? Darlin’ what’s wrong?” Leo asked as he stroked Jim’s back.

Jim groaned and held tighter, burrowing his face in Leo’s neck. “We have school.”

“Oh. Jesus Christ… in that case, _I_ don’t feel good either.”

“I have an acute case of Senioritis.”

“We’re Juniors.”

“The only cure is to stay in bed and have sex all day.” Jim lay a soft kiss to Leo’s chest and licked his sternum.

“I don’t have the stamina for that.” Leo giggled when Jim’s tongue tickled his pecs.

“Mm, not yet. But I do.”

As Jim released him and kissed lower and lower through his treasure trail, Leo clawed at the nightstand for his phone. He nearly dropped it after checking the time. “Jesus, Jim, it’s almost seven thirty! We’re gonna be late!”

Jim looked up from Leo’s belly button. “Huh? Oh shit!” Leo watched in horror as Jim attempted to climb out of bed only to faceplant on the floor, his legs tangled with the blanket. “Ow! Fuck!”

“Why didn’ my alarm go off...? Gah!” Leo cried out as Jim unceremoniously heaved him over his shoulder. “Unhand me!” he yelled, slapping Jim’s butt and thighs as he watched the world pass beneath him.

Dizziness overtook him as Jim set him back down on the bathroom counter and turned on the shower. He dabbled in the various minutiae of his morning routine before Leo interrupted him, curling his legs around Jim to bring him closer for a soft kiss. Jim picked him up yet again – this time in a slightly embarrassing bridal carry – and deepened the kiss, his mouth tasting a bit bad but still like heaven.

Leo moaned quietly into it and pulled away. “I’m startin’ to see your point. Let’s stay home an’ have sex all day.”

Jim gave one last peck of lips and with a wide grin, said “You’re a bad influence,” then set him down in the shower under the warm streams.

“I’ll have you know I have perfect attendance,” Leo said.

Jim shoved a loofah in his hands and squirted shower gel on it. “I have near-perfect attendance, what’s your point?”

“That I can’t be _that_ bad of an influence. Can I?”

Jim grinned wide as they soaped each other up. “Let me put it this way. After we discovered each other’s dicks,” he said, grabbing them both and giving a slippery stroke for emphasis. “I started spending quite a bit less time studying.”

“Oh god, am I Cindy?”

Jim let out a cackling laugh. “No! You’re more of a Gary.”

Leo glared and hit Jim in the shoulder, only making him laugh more.

“I’m kidding! Ow! Stop!”

After drying each other off, Leo garbed himself in – unfortunately – clothing from last night. As Jim drove them to school, he had a strange moment of wondering whether their vacation was a dream or not. It seemed too perfect to be true.

 

* * *

 

Sure enough, when they arrived at school, class had already been in session for nearly fifteen minutes. Jim laced their fingers together as they walked the halls toward Chemistry, letting go as he opened the door. Every head in the room turned to look at them.

“Oooooh,” someone stage-whispered, as if entering the room together – and late – was gossip-worthy. Despite burning cheeks, Leo glared at him and he withered under the intense stare.

Mrs. Masters cleared her throat to snare everyone’s attention and resumed the lesson.

Leo’s attention wandered from Mrs. Masters throughout class, refocusing on anyone talking to their table partner and wondering if they were gossiping about their tardiness.

There wasn’t anything particularly indiscreet about them coming in late, aside from the fact that likely the entire school thought they were banging regularly. They _were_ banging regularly, but banging wasn’t a good word for it. It still unnerved him every time he saw someone looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

Jim’s hand found his thigh at some point and began lightly stroking him, palm never leaving his leg for the rest of class. While it did a bit to calm his nerves, really he just wanted out of there. And back at that hotel. Or the massage room. In that lovely restaurant they went to. He wanted to be alone with Jim.

Staying home to have sex all day suddenly seemed a hell of a lot more appealing.

Class concluded, and they spilled into the hallway with everyone else, not unlike a tidal wave breaking through a levy, Jim’s arm curled around Leo’s waist.

“I have to go talk to Pike. I’ll see you at lunch.”

“Okay,” Leo said, giving a slightly sad smile. He leaned in to give Jim a kiss, only for Jim to curl his other arm around him as well. Leo snaked a hand up under Jim’s shirt – not at all caring that Jim’s heavy backpack squished him – and pulled him deeper. He gave a tiny moan as he shut his eyes and indulged in his boyfriend’s soft lips and minty breath.

A whoop of appreciation from someone startled him, and he reared back to stare at Jim – and several others nearby, gaping at them.

Jim seemed just as sheepish as he did, a bright red tingeing his cheeks. He stroked a finger along Leo’s bicep and smiled. “I’ll see you at lunch. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Leo said.

Jim patted his arm and turned to walk against the stream of people toward the gym, leaving Leo an embarrassed mess.

 

* * *

 

Tuesday morning, Leo woke at some ungodly hour from a horrid heaving in his gut. It felt very much like he’d spent all night doing suicide sprints – or possibly something worse. He rolled out of bed onto the floor and crawled into his bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before emptying his stomach in it.

“Oh god,” he moaned, slumping over onto the bathmat. “Why me?”

He lay for a few minutes, willing his stomach to stop churning. Unfortunately, fate deigned him unworthy of relief, and with every muscle in his stomach, chest, and – God help him – even his crotch clenching in protest, he vacated his gut again.

And again. And again.

He moaned pitifully, silently begging for either respite or death, though neither came as he drifted in half-sleep between painful bouts of sickness that likely were ruining his teeth. He had no idea what time it was. Time did not matter, time did not exist as far as he could tell, only pain and vomit.

“Leonard!” Leo vaguely heard from the hallway as he crawled to the throne of agony again. The door flung open and David’s footsteps paused in the middle of his room. “Leonard, you gon’ be late for class if you don’t—”

Leo loudly and painfully threw up again.

“Oh no…”

Leo barely registered David entering the bathroom out of the corner of his eye. David approached Leo where he lay against the wall as if he himself were an infectious agent made manifest as a high school student.

“You doin’ okay there?” David asked. He made the usual rounds of feeling his forehead and checking him for clammy skin. “Oh, Lenny, hon,” he murmured, stroking down Leo’s back.

“Kill me,” he groaned in reply, not recognizing his own voice.

“Ain’t no way I’m lettin’ you go to school like this.” The doorbell rang. “Oh for the love of – hold on.”

“But my attendance record!” Leo moaned, clambering for David as he jogged away, falling on the bathmat instead.

After a few minutes, David returned with a soda pop, crackers, and their blue plastic ‘sick’ bucket.

“Whowuzzat,” Leo slurred as David bodily sat him up to try feeding him saltines.

“Yer boyfriend. Told ‘im yer sick an’ to go to school without ya.”

Leo whimpered at the first cracker trying to push past his lips. “I need to go, my attendance record!” he repeated. “My flawless attendance record!”

“There’s a first for everything, son,” David said, holding him down by the shoulder. He succeeded in feeding Leo a cracker, doing nothing to improve his morale and everything to anger him.

“Stop!” he said around the dry and undesired food.

“You gotta eat somethin’,” his father replied. “Alright, fine, take care o’ yourself. I gotta get to work.”

“Wait, nooooo,” Leo moaned as David walked off toward the hallway again. “Don’t leave me.”

“I have to work the ER today, I gotta go. Here, I’ll jus’…”

David returned and picked him up under the arm to help him to the couch. With bucket, crackers, soft drink, TV remote, TV dinner tray, and a bundle of blankets on him, he tucked Leo in on the couch and checked his temperature again.

“This is the best I can do. As far as I can tell, it’s just a stomach bug. Keep the bucket near you, an’ just rest up. I’ll bring you some water, too. You want anything?”

“My phone?”

“Right, gotta have that, always gotta have that,” David muttered, going on a small tirade about ‘teenagers and their technology.’

After David brought him water and kissed him goodbye (on the forehead), Leo checked his phone.

From: Jim  
_:(_

Even though he felt like refried death, at least he had this.

To: Jim  
_I’m so mad I can’t go to school my perfect attendance is ruined_

From: Jim  
_What’s wrong anyway?_

To: Jim  
_RUINED  
Throwing up every five minutes. Fever. Intense desire to abandon my mortal form in seek of relief._

From: Jim  
_I think your perfect attendance was ruined when we got suspended  
Is it worth going to school if you can’t even focus?_

To: Jim  
_YES_  
_Maybe_  
 _Probably not_  
 _No._  
 _You better be at school already and not driving while texting._

From: Jim  
_I’m walking to class as we speak, mom._

To: Jim  
_You hush, young man, ain’t no boyfriend of mine is gonna text and drive at the same time.  
You wanna know how many people die from texting and driving?_

From: Jim  
_No_

To: Jim  
_Over 3000 a year and you are not gonna be one of them, you understand me?_

From: Jim  
_Yes dear  
class is starting, I’ll text when I get the chance._

With Jim’s class underway and very little else to do, Leo turned on the TV only to realize in horror that there wouldn’t be anything actually worth watching that time of day. He turned on some sort of morning news show and made himself as comfortable as possible on the couch, only for sleep to grip him again.

 

* * *

 

A loud, resonating buzzing right next to him startled him awake. He glared around the room to find the source, only to find that his phone had fallen off him in his sleep and was vibrating against the plastic pail. When he checked it, he found a _lot_ of messages from Jim.

From: Jim  
_Oh my god someone said something really embarrassing and the entire class is staring_  
_Help_  
_I can’t hold the laughter back_  
_HELP ME_  
_Mrs. Chambers asked me to stand in the hallway i’m so embarrassed_  
_everyone stared at me_  
_okay I’m back in. dignity is not intact_  
_I love you, you know that?_  
_Your english teacher is nice. Uh, I think she stared at me a bit. Like in the way that isn’t appropriate for teachers and liable to get them fired._

His English teacher?

To: Jim  
_I love you too but… What were you doing talking to my english teacher?_

Jim replied almost immediately.

From: Jim  
_She saw me in the hallway_

To: Jim  
_She did?_

From: Jim  
_Yeah_  
_Kind of weird how she’s not in her classroom_  
_That’s weird, isn’t it?_  
_How she’s not in her classroom_

To: Jim  
_Uh… I guess?_

From: Jim  
_How are you feeling?_

As if on command, Leo felt a surge of nausea and threw up in the pail. Fluoridated mouthwash was a godsend.

To: Jim  
_You made me throw up by asking that, does that answer your question?_

From: Jim  
_:(  
I didn’t make you throw up. Did I?_

To: Jim  
_As if you had a voodoo doll_

From: Jim  
_Oh please if I had a voodoo doll of you I’d just give you orgasms with it_  
_Although then I wouldn’t get your cum_  
_I want your cum_

To: Jim  
_I’m really not in a spot to be giving any right now._

From: Jim  
_Next class is starting. It’s Mr. Ruthers, the really anti tech teacher; no texting. I want to keep my phone. Talk to you soon._

To: Jim  
_Okay. I’ll just wallow in misery._

TV proved boring. The few games Leo downloaded to his phone did almost nothing to distract him from the ever-increasing distress in his stomach. The soft drink wasn’t calming the growl of anger coming from his gut, nor were the crackers.

His phone vibrated again.

From: Jim  
_I was thinking dirty things about you and Mr. Ruthers asked me to write something on the board so I had to cover my boner with my notebook while I wrote and it was so mortifying. I’m pretty sure I fooled exactly no one._

To: Jim  
_Oh my GOD. Are you at least wearing something that hides your dick?_

From: Jim  
_Basketball shorts are woefully inadequate in that regard._

To: Jim  
_Good god, man. You hid nothing._

From: Jim  
_Just baring it for all to see. Unintentionally._  
_I'm pretty sure I made more than a few people happy with that show_  
 _Are you feeling any better?_  
 _Ruthers coming, hold please_

A cooking show came on. Whatever they were making would normally look wonderful, but for the moment it looked absolutely dreadful. The soft drink David got him – a lemon and lime-flavored thing they had a box of just for when someone was ill – barely covered up the horrid taste in his mouth. Perhaps he’d have a new message after the thirty seconds it took to rinse with mouthwash in a miserable attempt to undo the damage to his teeth.

Unfortunately, none awaited him after he returned to his blanket cocoon, now with minty breath. He snuggled into the warm embrace of the pile of quilts.

A while later, he started awake again. A new cooking show was on, and his phone had new messages.

From: Papa  
_Just checkign in to see if youre still alive._

From: Jim  
_The author Mr. Ruthers is talking about seems cool. I think you’d like her. Flannery O’Connor  
Oh my god he said moist. Never say moist ever Leo he ruined the word  
This story reminds me of you. Not one he’s having us read, but one I found while googling her.  
Have you read anything by Sam Beckett?  
_ Waiting for Godot _seems cool_  
_I narrowly avoided the Wrath of Ruthers. Maybe he’s taking mercy on me because of how red i was after leaving the whiteboard._

To: Papa  
_Extremely uncomfortable, but alive._

To: Jim  
_Is texting me worth getting your phone taken until the end of the week?_

From: Jim  
_You absolutely are worth it  
I can’t believe administration hasn’t stopped him from doing that_

To: Jim  
_Do you have any idea how hard it is to fire shitty teachers?  
I’ll look up O’Connor later.  
I read Beckett’s _ Molloy _. I thought it was really weird, to say the least. Haven’t gotten to_ Waiting for Godot _yet._

From: Jim  
_We should read it together over summer vacation._

To: Jim  
_Yeah, yeah let’s do that. That sounds fun_

From: Jim  
_Your history teacher is kind of a douche  
Not Ruthers levels of douchery but rapidly approaching._

To: Jim  
_I think he’s retiring this year._

From: Jim  
_probably thinks he can get away with anything  
I don’t exactly blame him, I’ve seen some kids treat teachers like shit._

To: Jim  
_Why were you talking to my history teacher now?_

From: Jim  
_He was on the way to lunch and recognized me.  
You know, from the rugby team_

To: Jim  
_Class doesn’t get out for another five minutes_

From: Jim  
_Are you sure your phone isn’t off a bit?_

To: Jim  
_No, it’s not.  
I don’t think so?_

From: Jim  
_Are you feeling delirious at all?_

To: Jim  
_I’m dehydrated, not delirious_

From: Jim  
_dehydration can result in delirium. I learned that from that medical drama you hate_

To: Jim  
_At least you learned that and not one of the innumerable other inaccuracies in that drivel that passes for entertainment_

From: Jim  
_Hey, the lead is cute. Don’t judge_

To: Jim  
_Currently judging._

From: Jim  
_Whatever, I know you agree with me deep in your heart.  
How’re you feeling?_

To: Jim  
_Like death._

From: Jim  
_Maybe you should take a nap_

To: Jim  
_You wanna spend all of lunch without me?_

From: Jim  
_I’m already spending all of lunch without you :(  
I’m in the cafeteria now anyway. At least I can peoplewatch. It’s pizza day._

To: Jim  
_I’m so envious.  
Of anything I could possibly eat right now, school food is probably the least palatable._

From: Jim  
_It’s not THAT bad._  
_It’s pretty bad but not THAT bad._  
_You really should sleep._

To: Jim  
_Fine, if I can._

From: Jim  
_Don’t let the bedbugs bite._

To: Jim  
_Dork_

Blessedly, Leo fell asleep fairly quickly to the white noise of a noontime soap opera. He awoke at nearly half past one with an incredible need to vomit. After taking care of that and possibly throwing out his back, he checked his phone to see even more messages.

From: Jim  
_Calculus isn’t the same without you._  
_I keep looking to my side to talk to you and you aren’t there._  
_Up until now I could live in denial_  
_Now it’s been shattered like glass._  
_Like glass, Leo._  
_I miss you._  
_Mr. Janeway told this hilarious story about spilling groceries out his car door on the highway_  
_It was funnier in person than in text form._  
_Do you think he’s married to Mrs. Janeway?_  
_No he’s not I just asked when he walked by but everyone heard me anyway. Kill me I can’t handle embarrassment._  
_The girl that wants in my pants that sits next to us is trying to teach me how to do this problem._  
_Like_  
_I understand that the stereotype for beefy blond dudes is that they’re dumb as bricks but my grade is better than hers_  
_Than anyone’s_  
_even if the stereotype were true I am so immensely gay that she has about the same chance with me as a snowball in Georgia summer_  
_Maybe I should tell her that we’re dating. Should I do that? is there anyone who doesn’t know yet?_  
_I really fucking miss you._  
_Half an hour into class and it feels like an eternity. Quick make a snarky joke about something_  
_Anything_  
_God Leo I ache for you right now_  
_You never know what you have until it’s gone._

To: Jim  
_I’m right here you doofus, I just woke up  
Still sick. I think I pulled something in my pelvic floor with that last hurl._

From: Jim  
_NO! Not your pelvic floor, you need that._  
_You know_  
_to cum_

To: Jim  
_I’m aware of this.  
I also need it to, you know, not piss myself every fifteen minutes._

From: Jim  
_Do kegels_  
_Men can do them, right?_  
_Mr. Janeway just asked me where you are. Isn’t it nice to know he cares?_

To: Jim  
_It’s nice to know that I’m only dehydrated and that’s the most serious thing wrong with me at the moment.  
What the hell are kegels_

From: Jim  
_Have you considered calling a doctor?_

To: Jim  
_No._

From: Jim  
_And that is why men have a lower life expectancy than women  
What would you tell me to do if I were the one at home, sick, throwing up every three minutes?_

To: Jim  
_I would tell you to drink fluids and eat crackers, which is what I’m doing_

From: Jim  
_How’s that working out so far?_

To: Jim  
_Not that great._

From: Jim  
_I told wants-in-my-pants chick that I’m dating you and she didn’t believe me._  
_Like_  
_She laughed like it was a hilarious joke, then asked if I wanted to catch a movie on Friday and when I asked if I could bring ‘my boyfriend’ she said it was cute that I call you that_

To: Jim  
_Wow  
That’s some real intense denial._

From: Jim  
_can’t help people like that_  
_Mr. Janeway is getting a little annoyed that I keep staring at my phone instead of the whiteboard so I’ll talk to you later._

To: Jim  
_Bye. I love you_

From: Jim  
_I love you too_

Leo hugged one of the blankets and wished it were Jim. Ten minutes without a text passed. Another ten. Half an hour and no text. He tried his best to stay awake, but the light fever and lack of entertainment claimed him.

 

* * *

 

_Predominantly, the weirdest part of the situation was the flying laptop. Although he did everything he could to catch it on the pogo stick, it crashed into the wall and he bounced off, gravity reasserting itself as he hit the ceiling. The laptop cackled, a toothy maw of keys taunting him as the clock on the wall melted. Whatever it was he needed to accomplish, it couldn’t possibly be worth the stress of trying to catch his computer even though it was the last ingredient to his uncle’s secret potion recipe._

A sudden noise startled him out of sleep, and he groggily glanced around the room to see a vaguely Jim-shaped blob approaching him.

“Shh,” it whispered as it carded its fingers through his hair. “It’s just me,” it said in Jim’s soothing voice.

At least it actually was Jim.

Leo groaned and took a sip of water to unstick his tongue from his teeth. “That was a weird dream.”

“What was it?”

“I’d rather not say. Haven’t had a sick dream in a long time.”

Jim knelt by his side, giving Leo a good view of him. “How’re you feeling?”

“A bit better, haven’t thrown up in a while. Why’re you here? What if I’m contagious?”

Jim leaned in and planted a soft, lingering kiss to his forehead, drawing away to look Leo in the eye. “I missed you. Wow, you’re warm.”

“I was gone _one day_ ,” Leo slurred into the pillow.

“A day that felt like an _eternity_.”

Leo buried his face in the pillow, glaring at Jim out of one exposed eye. “Don’t go all Romeo on me. And don’t evade the question, what if I’m contagious?”

“I think spending time with my sick boyfriend supersedes that. I wanted to be here for you, you know?”

Curse his puppy dog eyes and adorable smile. “Fine, get sick the day before semifinals.” Leo fully immersed his head in the darkness of the pillows; perhaps if he ignored Jim, he’d leave rather than further risk infection.

Instead, he heard the quiet ratcheting of backpack zippers and books being set on his table.

“You’re not gonna leave, are you?”

“Nope,” Jim replied, letting the P pop. “Gonna sit here and spend time with my sick Leo.”

“Fine. Be that way.”

“Oh come on,” Jim exclaimed, actually sounding a little put off now. “I got your homework for you!”

Leo lifted his head to see Jim holding a thin bundle of papers. “You did?”

“Yeah. Except calculus. I’m a little offended because Mr. Janeway said he’d waive it because you’re ‘his best student.’”

“Well… okay.”

Jim sat on the floor next to the dinner tray with crackers on it. “I even bummed some notes off of your classmates.”

Leo sat up on his elbows as best as he could to get a good look at him. “Really? You did that?”

Jim turned around to give him a warm, sunny smile. “Why wouldn’t I? I’m a good boyfriend. I had to bribe one guy from English with cafeteria food but that’s his loss, really.”

“I don’t wanna know who it is. Only a madman would _ask_ for American school food. I don’t think I could look at him the same way again.”

“The weird part is he brought lunch today so he just… wanted extra, I guess.”

“Definitely a madman.”

Jim trailed a hand down Leo’s back in light, comforting strokes. “You doing okay?”

“I guess.”

“I’m gonna go get a wet cloth for you, you’re really warm.”

After digging around in the bathroom, Jim came back with a damp washcloth and peeled the blankets away from Leo to sponge his face and neck. It felt far too cold, but that probably meant it was working.

Leo let out a content purr when Jim reached under his shirt and wetted his belly, lightly scrubbing and almost immediately making him feel cooler. “That’s nice,” he murmured, his eyes closing to focus on the much-needed luxury and intimacy.

“Feeling any better?” Jim asked, his voice low and soothing.

“A bit. I think you need to do my legs next.”

Jim let out a laugh through his nose before the sudden intrusion of slightly cold wetness hit his crotch. Leo shivered and opened his eyes to glare at Jim, who smiled wide like he’d won the lottery as he got Leo’s balls wet.

“You’re an ass,” Leo grumbled.

“Come on, let’s watch a movie or something.”

“Okay. It’s your turn to pick.”

Jim set up Leo’s laptop on a chair in front of them and browsed for a streamed internet movie, finally settling on something that looked like a political intrigue.

“Need anything before we settle in?”

“Um… more crackers and coke would be good.”

Jim left for the kitchen as the movie’s opening sequence ran. It had little if anything to do with much at all, seeming to focus more on artistic swirls of color and names of famous actors, occasionally going for a cheesy swipe across the screen.

Jim came back with what Leo had asked for and made himself home in a rather uncomfortable place – sort of sitting on Leo’s legs but with his butt behind Leo’s knees and his legs over Leo’s – and a hand gently laid on Leo’s back.

The movie progressed at a snail’s pace and Jim provided colorful commentary at every lull in activity. Leo drifted in and out of lucidity, attention turning inward to strange half-dreams that replaced the plot of the movie, creating a hodgepodge of sleep-addled conjecture and political plot that made absolutely zero sense when strung together.

“I have no idea what’s going on,” Jim chuckled.

“Neither do I. I gotta go to the bathroom.” As he walked toward the bathroom after freeing himself from the confines of multiple blankets and Jim’s legs, another surge of bile made him gag. Jim rushed toward him as Leo hurried into the bathroom to duck his head over the toilet. Jim reached his side and lay a hand on his back, the other holding his forehead as Leo relieved himself of the soda and crackers he’d eaten over the last hour.

“That’s it, just let it out,” Jim murmured, an unexpectedly sweet gesture at an otherwise disgusting moment. Leo whined in agony and Jim stroked his back, whispering soothing sweet nothings in stark contrast to the moment itself.

“Lenny?” came a voice that immediately made Jim tightly curl a hand in Leo’s shirt. “Oh Lenny, my poor Lenny,” Eleanora cooed as she rushed over to them and quite literally pushed Jim away from him. “What’s wrong?”

Leo spat up the remnants and coughed. “I keep throwin’ up an’ I have a fever,” he groaned.

“Well sheeit, honey, I’m sorry. I’ll go get some crackers and a damp cloth for you.”

“Jim already did that, mama,” he interjected as she began to leave the room.

“Oh,” she replied, voice clipped and obviously annoyed. “I’ll get you a coke—”

“He did that, too.”

Now flustered, she glared at Jim. “A movie?”

“We have a few, ma’am,” Jim said, his hands kept to himself rather than on Leo’s back now.

“Well _fine_ , I can see I’m not wanted.”

“That’s not true!” Another urge to vomit crawled up his throat as she stormed out of the room.

Jim curled around him from behind to pull him in for a hug. “You’re gonna be okay,” he murmured. “It’s gonna be okay.”

“Even when I’m sick, Jim,” Leo wailed. “Is she jealous of the attention or something? I just – I don’ get it.”

“Let’s lay you down again.”

A dose of fluoride mouthwash, some more crackers, and an episode of a science fiction show later, David slowly opened the door to his room and peeked in. “How’re you doin’?” he asked.

“Not so good,” Jim answered. “Your wife came in earlier.”

“Oh great,” he muttered as he fully stepped into the room. “Let me guess, that went poorly?”

“Absolutely, sir.”

“Mama hates that Jim’s takin’ care of me,” Leo murmured.

“Speakin’ of…” David knelt in front of Leo and ran through a battery of cursory tests, including looking in his throat and judging his body temperature. “Well, I got good news.”

“Yeah?”

“I think it’s a twenty-four hour bug, the sort that ain’t contagious.”

Jim visibly relaxed at that; apparently he really did value being there with Leo more than he valued the game.

“When’d you last barf?”

Leo’s stomach had settled a great deal over the last hour; perhaps he finally was out of the woods. “’bout an hour ago.”

“Is that the longest you’ve gone today?” David asked as he checked Leo’s neck for swollen lymph nodes.

“Yeah.”

“You’re probably fine now. I’ll whip up somethin’ to eat. Yer mama’s goin’ out tonight as of ten minutes ago.”

Leo hoped it wasn’t to church. Eleanora showed no sign of slowing her delve into the religious, though why was left to his guesses. That wasn’t to say he couldn’t deduce her reasons, though.

Sometimes he caught her reading a bible in the living room, only to glance up at him (or glare at Jim) and divert her attention elsewhere as if Leo had caught her stealing cookies. On more than one occasion, he walked in on her sitting with hands clasped together in prayer and muttering to herself. Once she attempted to start dinner with Grace (despite never doing so in all her years before), only for David to shut her down.

“What about her Sick Day Soup?”

“Well, she’s not makin’ it, so I’m gonna try. You two sit tight while I do that.”

David left for the kitchen and Leo plopped his face deeper into the covers.

“Am I overstepping by saying your mom’s really going overboard?” Jim asked, trailing a hand along Leo’s neck.

“You really aren’t.”

Jim cupped his jaw and thumbed at his cheek. Leo dropped his head again and closed his eyes. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah, my stomach calmed down a lot.”

The corners of Jim’s lips turned up a bit. “I mean your _feelings_ , Leo. Are you doing okay?”

Eleanora leaving at a whim felt like a punch to the gut. Shouldn’t concern overpower spite or distaste?

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Jim sighed and looked at Leo as if he were a broken toy he had no idea how to repair. “Okay. Let me know if that changes. Until then, at least let me…” and then he crawled in behind Leo – sandwiching himself between the couch and him – to curl around him with both arms and legs.

Yet again unable to move, Leo had no option other than to hug Jim’s arms as much as possible. At least like this, he felt like he had an immovable rock supporting him.

Jim didn’t say much as they lay there watching TV, though Leo figured out why when Jim’s grip relaxed and his breathing slowed.

“Jim?” he whispered. “Darlin’?”

The door quietly swung open and his father walked in with two bowls of what smelled vaguely like his mother’s Sick Day Soup. “Uh,” he said, stopping at the sight of Jim coiled around Leo like a boa constrictor. “Am I interruptin’ something?”

“No.”

“Oh he’s asleep,” David murmured. “That’s so cute. I gotta get a picture of this.”

“Don’t,” Leo warned. He couldn’t escape the boa constrictor, but David would have the ‘lion’ to answer to later. Not that Leo was a very threatening lion.

David set the soup on the table and grinned as he took out his phone to snap a photo of Jim nearly laying on top of Leo. He turned the phone around to show Leo the picture of Jim drooling on the couch armrest and Leo trying – and failing – to hide his beet red face in Jim’s meaty bicep.

“I’ll send it to ya later,” he chuckled, then moved the trays of soup closer to them. “It’s not quite like how your mama makes it, since I really don’t know how to cook – playin’ into stereotypes, aren’t I? – but I tried my best.”

“I hope it’s not cold by the time he lets go of me.” Leo wiggled his arms and legs in an attempt to escape, and David laughed.

“Wakey wakey,” David said, tapping Jim on the head. Jim snorted and rolled onto Leo, groggily murmuring something about smelling soup.

“Get off!” Leo said, muffled by the pillow.

“Oh, shit! Sorry,” Jim said as he clambered off the couch, putting far too much weight on Leo’s back as he did so.

Something cracked. “Ow! Stop!”

“I’m sorry! Um… thanks for dinner, Mr. McCoy.”

David waved him off. “Please, Jim, jus’ call me ‘papa.’ ‘Mr. McCoy’ is too formal.”

“Papa?” Jim murmured as David strode out of the room again.

“Ow…” Leo groaned as he tried to sit up. Jim’s hand thankfully hadn’t dislodged any discs, though the sharp pain suggested otherwise. “Should have made you go home if I knew you gon’ be tryin’ to break my back…”

Jim turned back to look at him, small grin falling at the sight of him struggling to sit up. “Oh god, did I actually hurt you?”

“Yes,” he gritted out, finally bracing his weight on his forearms.

“Here, just… let me help,” Jim said as he moved Leo around on the couch until he was fully sitting up.

“I’m not an invalid.” Leo glared at Jim, more out of annoyance than malice, though Jim ignored it and brought the soup and TV dinner tray over.

“By certain definitions of invalid, you are.”

Leo kept glaring as Jim stirred the soup and broke apart some saltines in it. “It’s not chowder,” he protested, though Jim ignored that, too. The final straw came when Jim brought in a spoonful to feed him, and Leo gently pushed it away, splashing some on the couch and his lap. “Stop! I can do it myself.”

“Oh come on!” Jim said, a pronounced frown drawing his face downward. “Your doting boyfriend wants you to get better—”

“—for sex.”

“—for more reasons than just sex—”

“—but it’s a major motivation.”

“Like making sure you have someone—”

“I’m _fine!_ ”

“I didn’t say you weren’t—”

“You called me an invalid!”

“It was supposed to be a joke. I—” Jim stroked a hand along Leo’s thigh in a shameless attempt to placate him. “Okay, sure, I want you to get better for sex, but sex is fun! It’s fun, and – and intimate, and I _love_ you, which makes it all the better. But…” He turned and looked Leo right in his eyes. “Maybe I like the intimacy of feeding you, too, and maybe – maybe I like the intimacy of you trusting me enough to let me take care of you.”

Leo felt worse as Jim’s impromptu speech went on; dignity really wasn’t worth alienating his boyfriend, especially when it was so obvious Jim _did_ want him to feel better.

“I love you and I’ve said that like five times today, but it’s true, and I don’t like seeing you suffer, but – dammit, Leo, you’d do the same for me, wouldn’t you? You’d march over to my house and make me keep my fluids up or make sure I was comfortable or that I had food because I basically live alone. Wouldn’t you?”

It hurt to look into those too-blue eyes now, though Leo made himself do it as he murmured “Yes.”

Jim set the spoon down in the bowl in front of Leo, as if to silently say ‘you can feed yourself, I guess.’

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m an ass, I should have known you felt that way.”

Jim looked down at the floor in silence, which hurt in its own weird way.

“I jus’ don’t want to feel _helpless_ , you know? I don’t wanna feel like I’m an invalid. You don’t like being dependent on someone, I don’t either.”

More silence stabbed at Leo’s heart until he lifted his spoon and tapped Jim’s hand with it. Jim glanced down in surprise, then back up at Leo. “Really?”

“Jus’ for a bit.”

Jim blushed and sheepishly shifted back and forth in his seat. “Well, okay. Can I… take care of you? For a bit?”

“Yeah. I mean… I’d do the same for you.”

Jim rearranged himself to face him and lifted a spoonful of soup to Leo’s mouth. Leo gratefully took it and swallowed it down, though Jim handed him the spoon after a moment of contemplation. “Nope, nevermind, it’s weird now.”

The laugh that escaped his lips felt so good compared to how the rest of the day had been; it was like a breath of fresh air. “You dork,” he chuckled. Jim’s eyes crinkled, his lips turned up in an enormous smile, and Leo leaned in to hug him. “Oh, I needed that.”

“Needed what?”

“That laugh.”

Jim stroked his hands down Leo’s back and sighed. “You should eat.”

“Okay. Why don’t you tell me about this story that Mr. Janeway told?”

“Alright,” Jim started as he picked up a bowl. “So he was driving along I-235…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did you know that editing the html of this particular chapter was a nightmare
> 
> because it was


	33. Chapter 33

The semifinals game drew a crowd much larger than any that Leo had seen before, giving birth to an oppressive din of chatter and occasional cheers that clouded Leo’s thoughts.

Jim sat on a chair in the medical tent as Leo laid out the equipment he may need should any injury occur – hopefully not to Jim.

“You ready?” Leo asked, if only to fill silence.

Jim exhaled loudly, absentmindedly tapping his fingers on his knees. “As ready as I’ll ever be, probably.”

“At least remember,” Leo said, approaching Jim and laying a hand on his shoulder. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks, but… I’ve been playing rugby for years. This isn’t my first semifinal, you have nothing to be proud of.”

Jim seemed to shrink back against the wall of the tent when he said that; Leo wondered if, perhaps, something Frank had said had been internalized too much.

“You have a lot to be proud of.” Jim glanced up in surprise and met Leo’s eyes. “I don’t know anyone who could lead a team of misfits like you do to rugby championships.”

Jim’s lips slowly curled upward and he huffed out his nose. “Maybe you should be a motivational speaker.”

“What? That was nothing,” Leo said.

“Well, it made me feel better, so there’s that.” He stood and brushed off the butt of his shorts. “Alright, I got a game to go win.”

“Be careful,” Leo said as Jim stepped through the entry flap.

“Come on,” Jim answered, throwing a cocky grin over his shoulder. “You know me.”

Leo sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. _That’s what I’m worried about._

 

* * *

 

When Leo finished setting up and had a chance to watch, he stepped out into the bright sun and looked around the field to find Jim with the other dozen or so teammates. He certainly _seemed_ to be in better spirits as he jogged around, psyching up everyone, but Leo could tell he hid his agitation, putting on an excited face for everyone.

When the game began, however, it immediately dawned on Leo that Jim intended to play as if winning really were up to him alone.

In the first ten minutes, Jim scored a try – seven to zero on the board – but at the next time off he bent over and panted hard, hands bracing himself on his knees.

“Jim, come on,” Leo muttered to himself.

In the second half when Jim had the ball, Leo watched in horror as one of the bigger opposing players ran straight at him and dove forward, tackling Jim square in the chest. The force took Jim right to the ground with a loud thud, where they tumbled around as a referee blew his whistle.

The ball meanwhile bounced somewhere off the sidelines.

Though Jim stood up without difficulty as the referee handed his attacker a red card, he wobbled around a little bit.

“Jim!” Leo yelled, hands cupped in a megaphone.

Jim glanced at him and waved in dismissal.

The referee awarded Jim a penalty kick. The crowd cheered as he ran for the ball, but he stumbled over his feet. Leo grimaced, unable to look away as Jim regained his balance and kicked the ball hard enough to send it soaring through the goal post.

Seventeen to seven.

The clock couldn’t count down to zero fast enough. But as it did count down, they scored another penalty and their opponents another try.

Twenty to fourteen.

With a minute left, Jim was a wreck, sweat pouring off him and his skin flush.

Thirty seconds…

Fifteen…

Ten…

Not much could happen in ten seconds, but there was always the chance…

The clock ticked down to zero and buzzed loudly. Leo let out a sigh of relief; that was one of the longest twenty minutes he’s experienced in a while.

He didn’t get the opportunity to see what happened to Jim after – he had to anxiously put away medical equipment – but he was less concerned about chewing Jim out, more about just seeing if he was okay.

 

* * *

 

After the medical tech finally released him, Leo went in search of Jim. Walking among a throng of people toward their cars, Leo looked here and there and eventually found him lying on the hood of his car in wait, staring listlessly at the clouds passing overhead.

“Jim?” he asked, staring at him spread eagled on his car.

“I played too hard,” he moaned. “Everything hurts.”

Leo sighed and shook his head. “I told you.” For fun, he poked Jim in the side and tapped a leg with his foot.

“Don’t sigh at me, I had to win.” Jim turned his head to stare at Leo. The glare from the bright, hot sun off the car made it difficult to look directly at him. “You’d have done the same, wouldn’t you?”

“I don’t know,” he said, squinting and trying to look directly at Jim. He looked directly at the reflection by accident and winced. “We’ll find out when I play next year.”

Jim let out a noisy puff of air. His breath kept coming in heavier waves than normal. “Just leave me here to die. Or bring me home. I don’t care which.”

“C’mon, Jim, people are staring.”

“I don’t care,” he groaned, melodramatically thrashing on the hood of the car. Passersby turned to see what was happening.

Leo sighed and grabbed Jim by the arm to drag him to the passenger seat. Jim made it as difficult as possible, letting his weight act as the biggest obstacle until Leo said “Don’t be such an infant, get in the car.”

Within moments of sitting down, Jim fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

“Darlin’, we’re home.”

Leo poked and prodded and even pushed Jim to no avail: still apparently asleep. He sighed and smiled at the big wall of muscle taking up the front seat.

“Alright, suffocate in the car when it heats up,” he drawled, then shut the door.

As he unlocked the front door to Jim’s house, he heard the scuff of shoe against pavement behind him. Then a pair of arms curled around him from behind, a heavy weight nearly forcing him to the ground.

“Jim,” he groaned, the pavement creeping closer with every second that passed. “Get off!”

“But ‘m tired,” he whined, standing up again to give Leo the space he needed.

“If you just… give me a sec,” Leo said with a tiny growl. “Keys, please?”

Jim dug around in his pocket and unceremoniously dumped the keys in a jingling heap onto Leo’s outstretched hand. He stared through him like he were only half aware of where they even were.

“Are you all right?” Leo murmured, furrowing his brow and scrutinizing Jim for outward signs of illness.

Jim blinked slowly and blearily refocused on Leo’s face. “I wanna sleep, that’s all.”

“Well… okay.” Leo nodded and unlocked the door, then did an about face toward the car for their backpacks.

He found Jim laying face first on the nearest horizontal surface large enough for him: the couch. One arm lay over the armrest, the other hung over the side with a hand curled in a loose fist on the floor. His legs dangled haphazardly over the other armrest. He hadn’t even bothered to remove his shoes.

“Jim,” Leo called out from the kitchen as he rummaged through cupboards. “Jim, what do you wanna have for supper?”

After a few moments of silence, Leo poked his head back into the living room. Jim hadn’t budged.

“Asleep again?” Leo grumbled. Back to the kitchen, otherwise they wouldn’t be eating anything.

The convenience of the internet gave him a recipe for Chicken Alfredo that seemed simple enough. While the chicken thawed in a bowl of water, he attended to the homework and notes he’d missed. Jim still had not moved from his slumber on the couch.

When Leo packed his notes away and started cutting up thawed chicken, Jim still had not moved.

When he finished, and the sauce and pasta were heating, Jim _still_ had not moved.

“Jim!” he yelled vaguely in the direction of the living room. “Supper’s gonna be done, soon.”

Leo set out a pair of plates, wished he’d thought to make garlic bread sooner, and mixed up the butter needed. Toast – rather than actual Texas toast – would have to be good enough.

Once he finished the garlic bread, he adorned each plate with it and a heaping pile of Chicken Alfredo. He hoped very much that Jim liked it.

He nearly dropped the plates when he turned around to see Jim at the dining table, slumped over, using his folded arms as a pillow.

“You can sleep anywhere, can’t you?” Leo chuckled as he placed a plate in front of his boyfriend.

Jim sat up for the first time in hours, slipped on his glasses – when had he taken his contacts out? – and blinked sleep out of his eyes.

“How long were you sitting there?”

“A while. I dunno.”

“Well… dig in!”

Jim first took a bite of toast, moaning in appreciation of the flavor and crunch. He twirled some pasta around his fork and bit into that, too.

“Oh my god,” he slurred around it. “Have I ever told you I love you?” He looked down at the plate of food, then back up to Leo. “Because I do.”

“Uh,” Leo said with a blush. “Of course. Why do you ask?”

Jim took another bite and smiled. “Because I have a hot boyfriend who can cook.”

“But you can cook, too,” Leo chuckled as he shook his head in bemusement.

Jim simply ate his dinner with a big, dumb grin. He grinned so wide it looked like it might split his face in two.

“Are you like… tired-high or something?”

“Naw,” Jim replied with a wave of the hand. “Just tired. Maybe a little giddy from my victory.”

Leo spiraled the last few strips of sauce-covered pasta around his fork. “So… whaddya wanna do now? We still have all evenin’ to ourselves.”

“Well… I don’t feel like doing homework, even though I should. Did you try that multiplayer game I showed you on your phone yet?”

“No. We could… watch a movie?” Leo said with a shrug.

Jim hunched over on the dark hardwood table, rocking his empty drinking glass back and forth in thought. “Okay, but I wanna cuddle, too.”

“When don’t you want to cuddle?”

“Never,” Jim said, emphasizing the N. “Never _ever_ do I not want to cuddle.”

Leo scraped the dishes clean while Jim picked out a movie on TV. Leo found him lying on the couch, arms stretching out for him.

“Leo,” he whined. “I am dying and the only cure is your hugs!”

Leo snorted and shook his head. “Are you gonna trap me?”

“Probably?”

“Alright,” he sighed. “Let me use the bathroom first.”

“Hurry!” Jim yelled as Leo walked down the hall, voice growing quieter as the distance between them grew. “I think – I think it’s setting in!”

Jim wheezed in an admirable attempt at acting sick until Leo returned and sat by Jim’s hip, only for Jim to pull him flat on top and curl every limb around him.

“My Leo,” he cooed as he nuzzled Leo’s cheek.

“You are absolutely, totally high off exhaustion.” Though he tried valiantly to spin himself in Jim’s grip, he eventually accepted his fate, opting instead to turn his head toward the TV as much as possible.

Jim was out like a light within minutes.

 

* * *

 

From: David  
 _Need you at home I broke my computer_

“Oh… dammit, papa,” Leo murmured when he read the text. “Jim, I gotta go.”

Jim still slept like a rock.

“Jim?” he said, giving a light prod to his shoulder.

No reply. Through some careful negotiation of limbs, he managed to escape his grip. Unfortunately, Jim remained unconscious. With a sigh, Leo rummaged around for some paper and wrote him a note.

_Had to go home. Papa destroyed his laptop. Sorry I couldn’t wait. I love you, hope you sleep well._

_— Leo_

Under Jim’s phone seemed best. After tossing a blanket over him and putting away the leftovers, Leo left for home.

 

* * *

 

He knew something was amiss that next morning, when an oft-talkative Jim instead opted to respond to his every attempt at conversation with under three dismissive words.

“You get my note, last night?”

“Yeah.”

“Sorry I had to bail. Parents and technology don’t mix well.”

“Ah… yeah, they don’t.”

“You okay?” Leo asked. He glanced over, expecting Jim to be looking at him with the same little smile he usually did. Instead, he looked distracted. His hair was a bit unkempt and his shirt on backward. “Uh… your – your shirt. It’s on backwards.”

“Hm? Oh.” Jim withdrew his arms into the shirt and spun it around in place, then stared at the glove compartment.

Although Jim still held his hand after a bit of enticing – or rather, several clumsy attempts at linking their fingers – something about it seemed off. There was no stroke of a thumb or gentle squeeze. Instead of the usual catch of each other’s eye when Leo looked over at him, every gaze met a man who looked more preoccupied than anything.

Whatever could have happened in under twelve hours? Was it the game? Was it his mother? Was it _Frank?_

“So uh… papa got into the pre-boot thing and broke something. I had to figure out how to fix it online. Took me nearly two hours.”

Jim glanced over and gave a half-hearted smile. “Parents, huh? How do they do it?”

Leo chuckled. “I have no idea how he did it either. I know next to nothing about how computers work. I prefer to let tech support do their thing.”

“Yeah… I had to learn myself. Couldn’t afford to get anything fixed.”

Once at a stoplight, Leo turned to look fully at Jim. “You doing okay? You don’t seem yourself this mornin’.”

“I’m fine,” he replied.

Typical. Get him talking, then he shuts down again.

“Okay. Well…” Leo paused for a moment to see if Jim would cut him off. “If something _were_ wrong, you can talk to me about it.”

“I know.”

Two words said with a tone of barely-concealed annoyance, annoyance that stung and tore at him until he decided silence would hurt less than digging a deeper grave.

 

* * *

 

Second period passed with as much rapidity as walking through molasses in December. Worse yet, Jim was nowhere to be found during first break period. Perhaps he was off talking to Coach Pike, or catching up with a rugby teammate, or… something. Fourth period approached rapidly, and Leo resigned to waiting in his classroom for yet another class that would likely pass just as slowly.

Perhaps after, whatever haunted Jim will be in the past, and he’d be jovial again during lunch.

To: Jim  
 _Where’d you go? I’m in the library to study._

Ten minutes, then fifteen minutes passed before Leo saw Jim step through the library doors.

Joviality, however, didn’t make an appearance. What _did_ make an appearance was a largely flat affect. All while studying, Jim stared absently at his book, rapping his pencil on the tabletop.

Leo noticed while talking about antiderivatives that Jim hadn’t said a thing. “Jim?” He waved a hand in front of Jim’s face to get his attention.

“Huh? What?” Jim replied, quite tersely.

“You haven’t heard a word I said, have you? Or have you?”

“Yes!” he exclaimed, glaring down at his paperwork.

“Okay, then what did I just say?”

Jim tapped his pencil on the tabletop, rapping a steady, angry beat. “You were talking about…”

“Yes?”

“Um… applications of integrals?” Jim asked with a flat tone.

“No, that was weeks ago! See?”

“I’m really not into this right now, Bones,” he mumbled. “Can we do this later?”

Leo stared. “What did you call me?”

Jim glanced up with a bewildered gaze. “Huh? Oh… Bones?”

“Don’t call me that!” Jim’s expression grew ever more annoyed, and Leo’s chest hurt.

“Oh come on!” he exclaimed as he threw his hands up in frustration. “It’s just a stupid name!”

“Do you know how much that hurts? How many years of that I put up with? How many years of ‘skin and bones’ in the hallways I had to hear, just because I was a late bloomer? It’s not like I knew how to work out, and any time I tried, I’d be laughed at. ‘Why even bother, you’re just bones.’ An’ you should know how all the pressure to look fit and cut leaves wounds, Jim.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry, it just slipped out,” he said, hands held up in as placating a gesture as he could manage. “I have better things to worry about right now, anyway.”

Leo gaped as a horrid, turbulent heat overtook his chest. “So your boyfriend’s feelings and pain aren’t worth caring about, huh?”

Jim’s face paled. “I – that isn’t what I said.”

Leo leaned over the table and furrowed his brow, pointing insistently at Jim with a finger he hoped felt like a pinprick. “You very clearly said that my feelings aren’t somethin’ you’re concerned with.”

“But I didn’t – I meant – I meant—” Jim grew silent, staring off into space instead of looking at Leo.

“Nothing to say? Well,” he said, gathering up his paperwork and stuffing it without looking into – what he hoped was – his backpack’s partition for homework. “I’ll be takin’ my _feelings_ somewhere else so I’m not _botherin’_ you with them.”

Jim didn’t reply as Leo stormed off without once looking back, the frustration and hurt blooming into a searing anger that robbed him of rational thought. He stomped his way toward calculus, then thought two hours with Jim after that ordeal would be hell on earth.

He already ruined his perfect attendance; what’s another missed class? Rather than stew in class, he went for his car and drove home far too fast to be reasonably safe, the tires of his ratty old pickup truck screeching against the pavement.

_Jim can take the bus if he’s gonna be that way_.

Leo slammed the front door shut when he returned home and set about doing his calculus work. He constantly had to refocus, the anger lingering from their argument stealing his attention every few minutes. Although it took nearly three times longer than it should have, he finished his homework well past one thirty. Returning to school would place him at around two when he would step through the classroom door.

Rather than waste his time, he opted to stay home and…

Do absolutely nothing productive.

Nothing he did fully distracted him from his foul mood, only dampen it a bit. Regardless of activity, he—

Still had rugby practice today.

Lest he have a conniption, he weighed his options. Going to practice involved seeing someone he presently was very cross with. Doubtless Jim would either try to talk to him – something sure to anger him more – or avoid him – probably just as likely to infuriate him.

He could go work off his angry energy at the gym, but that didn’t handle the—

Leo dialed Chris. After a few moments of ringing, he picked up.

_“Coach Pike here.”_ His phone was a particularly old model, and sounded much tinnier than more recent makes.

Leo hadn’t rehearsed anything. “Hey, coach, it’s Leo. Listen, I went home early today on account of—”

_“You not feeling well?”_ Chris interrupted. _“Say no more, I’ll have one of the players pick up the slack.”_

“I—” Fate could not _possibly_ be that turncoat. “Yeah, I feel like shit, today. I had a bug yesterday that I’m not quite over.”

_“Don’t worry, it happens. You’ve had a great track record this season, so take a day to recuperate. Don’t miss the finals though.”_

Leo felt a drop in the pit of his stomach, and he gulped. Skipping class was one thing; lying to Chris was another. “Yeah, I won’t.”

_“You_ really _don’t sound too good, son. You rest up, alright?”_

“Yeah. Thanks.” Leo hung up and stared through the wall with unseeing eyes; one problem traded for another.

Sitting idle would only make it worse, so with more than a little trepidation, Leo headed to the gym for the worst workout ever. Every few minutes he glanced at his phone, expecting a call or text. He hadn’t received any when he arrived at the gym.

He had too much upset energy to pace himself, and tired out on the bike. By the time he got to weights, he kept losing count of his reps. When half of his barbell weights fell off from forgetting to collar the plates, he called it quits.

Still no messages.

Throughout the rest of the evening and long after Leo lay down for the night, Jim neither texted, called, nor showed up at his house.

He wasn’t sure if he ought to be glad to be given space or upset that Jim didn’t try.


	34. Chapter 34

Jim still hadn't attempted contact when Leo awoke, renewing the anger from the day prior.

_He should at least be trying. I tried when he was pissed at me._

Chemistry was in an hour and a half. Seeing Jim was in an hour and a half. Leo floundered over whether to go or not. The concept of going made him angry and nervous, but playing hooky was so… _distasteful._ On the other hand, he already skipped one class and deceived Chris. He was a Bad Boy now and Bad Boys skipped class.

So Leo decided that if he was a Bad Boy then he was in it a hundred percent.

No Chemistry.

After David left, he flopped on the couch with his laptop and… did nothing except think of the fact that he was skipping Chemistry.

Morning television sucked.

As Leo reacquainted himself with various pastime websites, he wondered if it was spiteful to skip class just to avoid Jim, or whether he truly was justified.

Probably not.

He also wondered what Jim might be thinking. Probably still pissed off. It’s better he stay home; going to Chemistry would be like walking into a minefield.

So he hunkered down on the couch, worked on homework, watched part of a movie, worked on homework more, watched part of a different movie, took a nap, and woke up with about ten minutes to go before Spanish III began.

He nearly fell on his laptop in the rush to gather his stuff. He shot out the door and sped toward school like a madman, but still arrived seven minutes late.

 

* * *

 

Lunch was a concern. Lunch was the single largest contiguous chunk of time outside of class that Leo spent with Jim – on campus, that is – and if he wasn’t doing that then there wasn’t much else to do.

He could always… go off campus for lunch if he wanted to avoid Jim.

Leaving campus was a luxury afforded only to Juniors and Seniors – predominantly because they were the population most likely to be trained to drive. Too many incidents of Sophomores or Freshmen getting in altercations nearby – and too few locales within quick walking distance – resulted in administration confining underclassmen to school grounds during lunch. Leo had no such limitation.

Perhaps he’d go to a burger joint. He hadn’t had a good burger in a while.

After a ten-minute drive, he arrived at an unfortunately busy fast food restaurant and ordered a bacon cheeseburger.

_This is nice,_ he thought as he sat down to wait for his order, _Leviathan_ in hand. _I haven’t had time for myself in a while._

Though the burger was delicious, _Leviathan_ was not, and his thoughts continuously returned to Jim, who he’d not see until the game tomorrow.

The game that would be the climax of the rugby season. The game that would make or break Jim’s summer spirits, the one Jim needed support for – and Leo wasn’t on speaking terms with him.

He felt like he may throw up his no-longer-delicious burger.

Tens of thoughts flooded his mind, demanding his attention all at once, displacing all the anger. _What if something happened, and that’s why he was so quiet? What if it’s Frank? What if it’s his mom? What if it’s money, or food, or something?_

What should he do? What should he _say?_ Should he text, or call, or go meet him? Options swam in his mind all through the rest of reluctantly eating lunch and driving back for Morality – a class he now firmly believed he should fail.

Even thinking of what the moral thing to do might be didn’t help at all. His mental list of ideas – and his list of recent messages sent to Jim – remained blank.

He composed numerous messages, only to delete all of them before sending.

To: Jim  
_Hey_

To: Jim  
_Hey._

To: Jim  
_Can I talk to you?_

To: Jim  
_I’m sorry_

To: Jim  
_I was an ass and I’m sorry and please don’t do anything awful_

Absolutely nothing his brain nor fingers produced sounded sincere and humble while evading desperation.

Talking to Jim directly wasn’t happening; his car wasn’t in the Juniors’ parking lot after school, nor was he home when Leo visited. He cursed his luck when his father texted him and asked for more help with his computer.

“Dammit, Jim…” he muttered as he drove home. “Dammit, me.”

 

* * *

 

David rapidly learned his lesson about asking questions and hovering behind Leo while he tried – quite desperately – to get his computer working again. He had enough problems with figuring out the inner workings of the operating system without having to teach another person what he learned in real time.

Uninstalling yet another program and rebooting yet _again_ failed to rectify the issue with David’s medical program.

David knocked on the open door. “Leonard?”

“Yeah?” Leo drawled as he installed yet another virus scanner.

“Yer boyfriend’s out on the porch holdin’ a big box an’ lookin’ like a puppy caught out in a thunderstorm.”

Leo’s heart skipped a beat and the office suddenly felt too cold. “He – he is? I—”

David quirked an eyebrow up inquisitively. “Did somethin’ happen?”

“Yeah,” he croaked. “’m gonna go make it right.”

Leo abandoned David’s computer and walked toward the foyer, his feet feeling more like lead with every step until he stood opposite Jim on the front deck.

Jim indeed looked like a puppy trapped in the rain, his eyes cast down toward the porch instead of looking at Leo, hunched forward and hands clasped in front of him, overall making him look terribly small.

Neither of them said anything for a few moments. Jim tried to meet Leo’s eyes, but faltered.

“Jim, what—”

“—please don’t break up with me,” he murmured, wincing after.

Leo felt sick enough to pass out. His stomach churned as he said, “Jim? I – what?”

“I know what I said,” he continues, nearly frantic. “I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry. Your – you mean—” He wrung his hands together. “I care a lot about your feelings. All of them.”

A lump in Leo’s throat forbade him from replying. Jim powered on anyway.

He locked sad blue eyes with Leo’s and said in a hush tone, “I love you, and I care so much for you. Please don’t break up with me.”

“Oh darlin’,” Leo choked. “I wasn’t gonna.” He lurched forward and Jim caught him, letting out a huff when Leo squeezed him tight. “I’m sorry too,” he said, burying his face in Jim’s neck.

Jim lifted Leo off his feet, clutching him tight against his chest. He buried his face in Leo’s neck and inhaled deeply, sniffling like he was on the verge of tears.

“Ow,” Leo heaved out, his lungs compressed by his boyfriend’s prodigious strength. “I love you, too, Jim.” Jim kept every inch of their bodies pressed together until Leo smacked his back and wheezed “Can’t breathe,” prompting Jim to let go and set him on terra firma again.

“I, um…” Jim picked up a thin cardboard box on a nearby patio chair and handed it to Leo. It smelled distinctly of brown sugary fresh-baked goods. “I made you some apology cookies. They’re your favorite.”

Leo gasped and his eyes widened in surprise. “Peanut butter and—”

“—white chocolate chunk.”

Leo opened the lid, and close to two dozen warm cookies filled the box. He cradled the box with one arm, picked up a cookie with a delicate touch, and took a bite.

_Perfection._  Just the right balance of peanut butter to sugar and soft-baked, with big bits of still-gooey white chocolate.

“Oh my _god_ ,” he exclaimed, thoroughly tempted to eat another, and another, until the whole box was empty. “Jim, _Jim!_ ”

“Leo,” Jim said in a harsh stage whisper, glancing at the adjacent yards. “The neighbors might hear!”

“I don’t care, these are incredible.”

“Okay, but if they think we’re doing something else, it’s your fault.”

“Come on, let’s get you inside, then.”

Jim turned toward his car and said, “Does that mean make-up sex?” as he yanked his backpack out of the passenger seat.

“I dunno if that’s a good idea, so soon. Maybe after we talk.”

As they entered the foyer and kicked off their shoes, David stood awkwardly in the living room entryway, his arms crossed in a poor attempt to appear casual. “Boys,” he said with a nod. “Everything okay, now?”

“Yeah, we’re gonna be okay, dad,” Jim said as he passed.

David barred Leo from passing as Jim entered his room. “Jus’ forget about my computer for now, I’ll call hospital tech support.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Once in his room with the door shut behind them, Jim collapsed on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, arms outstretched. Leo sat at his side and lay a hand on his belly. The welcome smell of sandalwood wafted through the air.

“I’m sorry,” he said, looking right in Jim’s eyes.

Jim gazed back with a tiredness that made him look like he were twenty years older.

“I should’a stayed an’ let you talk. Should’a trusted you meant better ‘n what you said.”

Jim remained silent for a moment, then clasped a hand with Leo’s and stroked a thumb along his knuckles. “I said a few stupid things, too.”

“Yeah?” Leo raised an eyebrow more out of an attempt at playfulness than anything else.

“Yeah. I called you something I haven’t for months. I know it brings up a lot of painful memories, and I shouldn’t have brushed it off just because I was so busy thinking about the game.”

“Oh jeez… it _was_ the game?”

“Huh?” Jim’s gaze darted to meet his in confusion.

“Yesterday you seemed real distracted about something and I didn’t want to pry too much, but I thought it might be game-related. You know you can talk to me about that.”

Jim’s eyes turned toward the ceiling in a blank stare. Leo cupped Jim’s jaw and turned him toward him.

“Hey. Jim, look at me.” Jim’s sad blue eyes met his again and Leo stroked his cheek. “You can talk to me about stuff like that. Your feelings matter to me, too.”

A shiny wetness gathered in the corners of his eyes until Jim wiped them with the back of his hand. “Whatever, feelings are gay, anyway.”

Leo pushed Jim away and onto his side. “You loser.”

Jim cackled like it was the funniest thing he’d ever said, loud heaves of laughter that were music to Leo’s ears. He rolled over and pulled Leo into a hug, laughing near enough to his ear that it vaguely hurt, but Leo didn’t care – he clung tight like his heart would burst if he didn’t.

He clung tight long after the laughter died and Jim began patting his back.

“Are you okay?” Leo murmured into Jim’s shoulder.

“I’m fine.”

Leo reared back and glared at his boyfriend. He withered under the stare, diverting his gaze toward something on the far wall. “Jim,” he sighed. Jim remained silent. Leo combed his fingers through his soft, blond hair. “Your feelings matter, too, an’ I hurt ‘em.”

Jim let out a deep sigh. “Well, I – what I said really wasn’t—”

“Darlin’,” Leo interrupted.

“What?”

“That kinda sounds like you’re about to talk about mine.”

Jim snorted and hugged him a bit closer. “Yeah… I think I was.”

Leo wondered if it was some consequence of dealing with Frank; he didn’t seem the accommodating type when it came to emotions. Maybe Jim’s were discarded like Frank viewed them as rotten food destined only for the trash can.

“It really hurt,” he started, hesitantly, and quiet. “Watching you walk away.”

Leo tightened his hold and Jim stroked his back.

“I thought of a hundred different ways that conversation could have gone and I wished I’d picked anything other that what I said. I didn’t wanna fuck things up any more than I already did, so I figured I’d just… leave you alone and wait until you were ready.”

Leo wasn’t sure what to say.

“I started getting a bit desperate after you didn’t show up for Chemistry. I thought about calling or texting but nothing felt right. After school, I – heh, you know the adage, ‘the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’ I wanted to show you I pay attention, so I made your favorite cookies and hoped that if you didn’t take my apology that you’d at least take _them._ ”

“Oh darlin’,” Leo murmured. “I’m sorry this happened.”

Jim shrugged under him, hitting Leo’s chin with his shoulder. “I was asking for it, with how I talked to you.”

Leo lifted himself off Jim and looked in his bright blue eyes. “Maybe, but you still deserve to be loved and cared for.”

Jim swallowed and choked out, “What about you? How did you feel?”

Leo lay back down and carded his fingers through Jim’s chest hair. “I was really pissed and hurt at first. I didn’t go to Calculus because I really didn’t wanna stew on it with you right there.”

Jim bit off a whimper and Leo hugged him tight.

“Oh darlin’, I really didn’t wanna say somethin’ stupid in the heat of the moment.”

“Oh, alright. I’ve been there, before.”

“It was dumb – _so_ dumb – but when you didn’t text I got real angry ‘cause I tried when you were angry and I thought that…”

“That I should, too.”

Leo felt cold, even between Jim’s arms. The whole thing could have been fixed with one text. “God, I’m so stupid. It’s just a name.”

Jim sat up, displacing Leo, and looked right in his eyes. “It’s a name that hurts, and that should be good enough for me.”

Leo swallowed around a lump in his throat, but Jim cut in before he could say anything.

“It _is_ good enough for me, but I acted selfishly because of a game, a stupid rugby game. You’re more important than a game.”

Leo pressed his fingers to Jim’s lips to silence him. “It’s not a stupid game. It’s important to you, so it’s important to me.”

“Okay,” Jim murmured. Leo wasn’t sure if he sounded defeated, or relieved. “We are awesome at this ‘relationship’ shit.” He grinned, and Leo pushed him into the mattress.

“Shut up, you dork.” Then he kissed Jim tenderly, passionately, their lips meeting sweetly as their tongues mingled.

Leo curled around Jim and moaned into his lips as Jim snaked his fingers into Leo’s pants. Jim pulled away and breathlessly asked, “Is that yes to makeup sex?”

“No,” Leo chuckled. “I jus’ wanna hold you an’ kiss you for a while.”

“Let’s do that with less clothing on,” Jim murmured as he pulled off Leo’s shirt. Leo stripped Jim piece by piece, getting the hem of his shirt caught under his arms, until only boxer briefs remained. Leo lay on top of Jim under the blanket, holding him and kissing his neck.

“I love you,” he said against Jim’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“I know. I’m sorry, too.” Jim wrapped every limb around Leo, trapping him in place and giving free reign to slowly make out with him. “I love you, too,” he said as he nibbled Leo’s lip.

“Ow! Stop!”

Jim hummed to himself and guided Leo into another kiss. Leo melted into it until the only other thing in existence was his boyfriend’s loving hug and soft lips.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna do anything? Your dick sure is interested.”

Indeed, Leo’s hard cock nestled comfortably with Jim’s, and even their balls rested together.

As tempting as it was, Leo thought it might somehow spoil the moment. “Let’s just – I really wanna keep it a feelings moment, you know?”

Jim’s eyes locked with his and he gave a tiny smile. “I love you.”

“You said that not even a minute ago,” he chuckled.

“Yeah. But it’s true, whether we have sex or not.”

Jim nuzzled him and lavished him with kisses until Leo’s face felt a bit wet from all of them. Leo burrowed into Jim’s chest and breathed in the scent of his handsome and manly boyfriend.

“I’m really worried about tomorrow’s game,” Jim whispered, but his voice rumbled in the strong chest under Leo’s ear. He stroked Leo’s back as he spoke, still holding Leo between his arms and legs just how he liked. “I really want to _win._ I know you’ll be proud of me either way, but… I wanna be proud of _me_ , too.”

Leo hugged tighter and buried his face in Jim’s chest hair.

“I really wanna be able to point at a trophy on my wall and say, ‘that one? Junior year Rugby championships.’ And next year, I wanna be able to say, ‘that one? Senior year Rugby. Won that one with my boyfriend.’”

Leo tried to pull away to look Jim in the eye, but Jim kept a tight hold. “Really?” he murmured into Jim’s pec, his face smushed a bit.

“Yeah,” he replied wistfully. “That would be great. Having matching trophies and lots of photos together.”

“Varsity jackets?”

“Hell yeah! Varsity jackets. I bet you’d look handsome in one.”

“Heh, maybe.”

“I really want that. I really wanna play on the field with you right there. With my boyfriend on the field.”

“I’m already on the field.”

“That doesn’t count, you’re in the medical tent or with the water.”

Leo reared back and lightly shoved Jim’s shoulder. “It does too, Mr. ‘you’re important to the team, too.’”

“Okay okay,” Jim chuckled before clutching Leo close again.

It grew very warm under the blankets, and although they both remained rock hard, it might ruin the moment to do anything sexual. It still felt nice to hold each other, to keep their crotches so intimately close and their bodies so intertwined.

“I just – I’d love to be out on the field and pass the ball to you… watch you ground it… hear everyone cheering. I wanna hold you by my side when we hold up that championship trophy.”

“I – I didn’t know you felt that way,” Leo murmured.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Jim asked. “Wouldn’t any guy wanna share something he loves with his boyfriend?”

“Yeah… if I had a hobby or something aside from reading, I’d wanna share it with you.” Although, he _did_ have the piano…

Jim hugged Leo tight and buried his face in his neck. “I’d just really love to share all that glory with you. It’d be such a great way to end high school.”

“Better than finals,” Leo chuckled.

“Way better. Plus, I bet you’ll look great in a varsity jacket.”

Leo lay his head on Jim’s chest as Jim stroked him. He didn’t really do much in his life aside from schoolwork, reading, and spending time with Jim, but as he thought about it, and as his mind turned to the piano in the drawing room, the gears in his head began turning.


	35. Chapter 35

Saturday morning, Jim returned home, citing needing some ‘alone time’ before the game.

Saturday morning, Leo stood in front of Jim’s house at eight thirty-two, Jim’s backpack in hand. He had forgotten it in an uncharacteristic rush that morning, abruptly leaving Leo’s arms and departing after giving him a soft kiss to the forehead and a quiet “I love you.”

If someone were to ask Leo why he stood before Jim’s front door, frozen in contemplation, he’d probably say ‘there might be something in here Jim needs before the game.’ The truth, however, spoke more of a prying curiosity; what exactly did Jim do before every Saturday game? What was different about Wednesday’s games? Would he be mad for coming over when he’d asked for alone time?

Well, hopefully he wouldn’t be.

Leo knocked on the front door. After half a minute of no response, he knocked again.

Nothing.

The doorbell stared at him – taunting him, tempting him – an evil eye embedded next to the gateway into Jim’s home. He braced himself and pushed it. The melodious ding dong echoed within, though it begot no response.

Maybe Jim went out for a run, though that wouldn’t do for conserving energy. Maybe he just slept in. But he could do that with Leo. Then again, Leo didn’t exactly have a right to Jim’s time.

Leo crept alongside the house toward Jim’s room. As he approached, the sound of something smacking dirt caught his attention.

Leo peeked around the corner. Jim knelt on all fours in the flowerbeds in work shorts and a tattered shirt, trowel in gloved hand. He buried something between two bunches of green spindly plants and wiped his brow on the back of an arm, then glanced around, squinting at the rest of the flower bed.

_Shit._

Too late; Jim yelped in surprise and reared back at the sight of Leo staring. “Who’s there?”

Leo sheepishly revealed himself and waved, holding Jim’s backpack up by way of explanation. “You forgot this…”

“Jeez, you scared me.” Jim held a hand to his chest and heaved out a breath.

“What’re you doin?” Leo drawled.

Jim avoided looking at Leo like he’d caught him doing something particularly shameful. “Uh… gardening.”

“You garden?”

“Yeah.” Jim tilted his chin up in challenge. “There something wrong with a man gardening?”

“What? No! I just… didn’t expect it.”

Jim stood and moved closer to Leo. “Well… here I am. Gardening.”

“Is this what you do before Saturday games?”

“Yeah. It helps keep me occupied so I don’t stare at the clock and worry about the game.”

Leo tilted his head in confusion. “Whaddya do on Wednesdays?”

“I have school to keep my mind busy – and on the bus, I have you.”

Leo suppressed the vague sense of hurt from not being Jim’s first choice of comfort; the man was allowed a life outside of him, after all.

“It was, um… worse before we started dating.”

As if on cue. “Really?”

Jim played with the gloves, readjusting them and shifting his weight back and forth. “Yeah. I – it’s kind of stupid, but when you’re there, I feel a lot more relaxed and… well, I remind myself that no matter what happens, someone’s proud of me – that you’re proud of me. I can just focus on that – on you.”

Overcome with a pressing need to _love,_ Leo set Jim’s backpack down and pulled him into a tender hug.

“Aw, Leo, I love you too.” He awkwardly pulled off the gloves and curled around Leo in a warm embrace.

Leo nuzzled his neck; he smelled like peat moss and sweat, but he still smelled _wonderful._ He finally pulled away after a few long moments of rubbing Jim’s back. “Tell me about your garden,” he said. He simply _had_ to know more of Jim’s passion.

“Well, I haven’t done a good job of it in the past, but this year… this year I’m gonna be better about it.”

Leo took in the flowerbeds; there was a patch of green stalks with pointed leaves and a patch of unhealthy leafy greens. A tiny thorn bush was on the other end of the rectangular bed, surrounded by a large circle of tiny red flowers. Dead center was a large shrub covered in brilliant orange flowers.

“They look lovely, Jim. I didn’t know you gardened.”

Jim raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You didn’t notice I’ve been taking care of them ever since you started coming over?”

“Um…” _Someone_ had to do it; who else could it be? “No, not really, and I’ve never been back here. It makes sense in retrospect, but sometimes two plus two sounds like five.”

Jim smiled and nodded. He looked so beautiful in the morning sun, skin glistening with the sweat of a job well done. His blond hair, beard, and soft blue eyes looked so gorgeous in the bright light. Leo wanted to hug him again and not let go.

Jim pointed at what he just buried. “Something dug up a stargazer lily so I planted a new bulb. It’s probably too late for it to take, so… I’m pissed about that, but who knows.”

“What’s this really big one? The orange one.”

“That’s an azalea. I, um… bought that one ‘cuz orange is your favorite.”

“Oh my Lord,” Leo murmured, a hand held to his chest. By far it was the healthiest of the plants, sporting dozens of tangerine-colored flowers. A few bees busily gathered pollen from them. “You planted that for me?”

“Yeah,” Jim chuckled, a big grin setting in. “I’m really glad you like it.”

Leo cupped Jim’s cheeks and pressed their lips together in a tender kiss, pouring as much feeling into it as he could. “It’s beautiful.”

Jim blushed and gave a cocky grin. “Of course it is. Only the best for you.”

“Dork. What’s that?” Leo asked, pointing at the sad plant that looked vaguely like wilted lettuce.

Jim knelt by it and looked all around it. “It’s a dahlia, and it’s not doing so great. I’m not entirely sure it’s worth the trouble.” He stroked one of its wilted leaves; the ground under it was damp. “I’m gonna have to dig it up and store it inside over the winter.”

Leo furrowed his brow. “How come?”

Jim looked over his shoulder at Leo, squinting when the sun hit his eyes. “They don’t like frost.”

“Oh, yeah… all the snow.”

Jim stood again and pointed at the arrangement of red flowers. “The rose has yet to really take off. The carpet petunias around it are doing well, though, and in front I dug up those irises since the tubers were really unsightly and put in a rose glow barberry. They’re apparently really easy to care for and they’re colorful all year round.”

“That red thing?”

“Yeah.”

Leo thought of the new plant in front covered in vibrant red leaves; he noticed it a few weeks ago, but figured…

He wasn’t sure what he figured.

“I want to try a red azalea with it since they’ll probably live through the winter and should look nice with the barberry, but I’m afraid I’m too late for that, too.”

 _This_ was a hobby to encourage Jim to cultivate, pun intended. “When’s a good planting time?”

“Um…” Jim scratched his head for a moment. “Late spring, I think?”

“You might could try it.”

“‘Might could,’” Jim chuckled.

“What?”

Jim shook his head and knelt by the lilies, checking how much he packed the dirt. “Your southernisms are adorable.” He glanced at the dahlia again and shook his head. “I really hope that poor thing roots. Winter’s gonna be a bitch on it, though. Everything else I planted is fine down to zone four.”

“I dunno what that means.”

“Well, have a seat and I’ll tell you.”

Leo made himself as comfortable as he could on the grass and watched Jim work as he spoke.

“So, growing zones span all of North America, and…”

 

* * *

 

Jim’s attention remained firmly upon Leo as they gardened. Jim showed Leo how to care for each of his plants in painstaking detail, and gave him a better look at the plant in front he’d thus far ignored. It was a pretty little thing covered in red leaves and tiny yellow flowers. It made the flower bed spot nearest the porch it’s home. Jim wasn’t sure whether he wanted an azalea between two of them or a half-and-half arrangement, but he debated the merits of both at length with Leo.

The game, however, was at twelve thirty, and Jim gardened with him all the way up until eleven.

“It’s gettin’ close to game time, darlin’,” Leo said as Jim gave the barberry its weekly watering.

“Already? Time just flew by.”

Leo wiped sweat away from his forehead and watched him finish watering. “I better go home an’ get ready.”

“I should too, I guess.”

Jim stared at nothing for a few moments. It reminded Leo of a deer in headlights.

“You okay?”

Those pretty blue eyes met his and Jim gave him a half-grin. “Yeah, just thinking. I’ll pick you up for the game?”

“Alright.”

Leo went in for another hug and held on tight as Jim enveloped him in strong, burly arms for nearly a full minute. Jim stroked up and down his back and gently rocked them back and forth, his face buried in Leo’s neck.

“You’re affectionate today,” he murmured. “I like affectionate.”

“Today’s an important day, an’ I want you to know I’m here.”

“I know you are,” Jim said with an audible smile. “Okay. I’m gonna go get ready.”

“I’ll see you soon.” Leo went in for a quick kiss and Jim chased after his lips when he pulled back. He chuckled, and turned toward his car. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something, and glanced over to see the neighbor girl across the street glaring at him from her yard – probably with envy, given Jim occasionally talked about her crush on him. He grinned, though his face burned as he climbed in his car and drove off.

 

* * *

 

The doorbell rang at forty-five after – quite impatiently, actually. Leo suspected it was Jim, given how anxious he seemed.

“Hold your horses!” Leo yelled as he strode toward the door.

Jim indeed was the culprit. There he stood in full uniform, the sun behind him, anxiously kicking his shoes on the porch.

“Ready?” There was a tension to his voice Leo expected, though he still wished it weren’t there.

“As I’ll ever be. Are you?”

“Pft… no, I’m really not.”

Leo accompanied Jim to his car. “Did you eat, today?”

“I ate a big breakfast before I gardened, and a snack a little while ago.” He rubbed his abs and grimaced. “Kind of regretting the snack.”

“How come?” he asked as he took the passenger seat. At least it was a bright, sunny day. The westerly wind brought the barest hint of nearby cornfields in, and the temperature was blessedly balmy. The last thing Leo wanted was for adverse conditions to make Jim’s game a miserable drudge.

Leo glanced at Jim after a few moments, during which Jim neither said anything, nor started the car. He looked a little pale, and tightly gripped the steering wheel.

“Jim?”

“I may throw up on you,” he gritted out, then let out a breath from pursed lips.

“Huh? What happened? What’d you eat?!”

“Yogurt. I’m really nervous, and… I think it was a bit too old.”

“Dammit, Jim! I’m gonna getcha an antacid.”

Jim’s eyes darted toward Leo as he left the car again. “Can you drive?”

Leo turned back and patted Jim on the shoulder. “Of course. Whatever you need.”

The antacid thankfully reduced Jim’s discomfort to a mild upset, though Leo had to talk him down from ipecac as he drove them to the game.

(”We don’t have any. _Nobody_ does that anymore, they all use activated charcoal.”

“What? Why?”

“Throwing up can do even more damage to your body, especially if you do it on purpose.”

“Well, can we do the charcoal thing?”

“No, it’s not for upset stomach.”)

As they neared the stadium, Jim grabbed Leo’s hand. Leo looked over and saw Jim, eyes shut, lips moving soundlessly. Maybe he was like this every time finals came up – or maybe this was the first time they made it to finals at all. Maybe he was only doing it because Leo was a new addition to the formula.

Jim’s death grip made parking one-handed – and more interesting. He didn’t let go until Leo shut off the car. “We’re here. Are you feelin’ any better?”

Jim stopped his silent litany and glanced around the parking lot. The stadium – or rather, the bleachers – loomed in the distance. Players and spectators alike ambled toward it, looking like hordes of ants in comparison to the faraway concrete and steel structure.

“Jim? Feelin’ better?”

Jim smoothed his small rugby shorts down his thighs. “I don’t feel like I’m gonna hurl anymore.”

“And…”

Jim looked toward the field, then back at Leo. “Still nervous, but… I _really_ want to win this. I wanna win this for Pike. I wanna win this for _you_.”

“You don’t wanna win it for Jim Kirk?”

“Well, I do, but that’s secondary.”

Leo shook his head in affectionate exasperation. “I’m not gonna persuade you outta that line of thinking, am I?”

Jim gave him a half-grin and shrugged. “Probably not.”

“Better get goin’, then.”

Jim rocked back and forth on his heels while Leo hauled his bag of equipment out of the trunk. Together, they approached the cordon for players and staff. The guard let them through and Leo approached the small medical tent next to the benches. On impulse he turned toward Jim, only to see him a few meters behind.

“Jim?”

“Yeah, sorry. Look, I better…” he pointed behind him toward the doors at the corner of the bleachers building.

“The locker room.”

“Right. The team probably expects a speech.”

“Okay.” The resulting silence, only broken by the chattering of nearby sports watchers, felt like a chasm Leo desperately needed to bridge. “Jim?” he said with haste as Jim turned and walked away.

“Yeah?”

“Good luck, and… play safe, okay?”

Jim smiled and looked down at the grass; Leo could barely see the tips of his buckteeth. “Thanks, I will.”

 

* * *

 

Thankfully, setting up the medical tent was a quick ordeal, though that left Leo with not much to do until the game began. He spent the time organizing his inbox on his phone, as nothing really interested him.

At half-past, the sudden blaring voice of the announcer startled him. His heart pounding, Leo watched the teams file out onto the field, Jim at the lead of the line and waving to the crowd. Perhaps he were faking cheeriness to hide his anxiety.

For the briefest of moments, Jim’s gaze met Leo’s. Too far away to really tell for sure, Leo thought maybe he saw a nod or a smile, or both.

The game began without further ado, and it was obvious to Leo – and perhaps everyone else – that Jim truly gave a hundred and ten percent; he weaved in and out of the other players as he and the team scored again and again. By halftime they were seventeen versus seven.

“Dammit, Jim,” Leo growled as Jim came in for some water, gulping it down greedily. “You’re playin’ too hard!”

“Nonsense,” he panted, sweat pouring down his face. His eyes met Leo’s, bright blue gazing at him like he were playing so hard just for him. “I’m doing what I gotta do to win.”

“You tell me right away if anything hurts or tears or… dammit, just don’t hurt yourself, okay?”

Jim playfully slapped Leo’s biceps and let his hands glide down his arms. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

Jim didn’t _look_ fine – rather he looked like his boundless energy finally ran dry with about ten minutes on the clock.

“Jim, you need a break!” Leo yelled when Jim came in for water again.

“Can’t, we used all our substitutes already.”

Leo gaped in shock. “ _All eight?_ ”

Jim nodded. “All eight.”

“How the devil did you do that?!”

Jim gave a shrug. He looked _exhausted_ , and his breath came in heavy pants. His face was an angry red and every inch of skin (and most of his hair) was wet from perspiration. He stared at Leo for a moment, looking very much like he wanted to say something before settling on “I’ll be fine.”

Leo sighed and glared, but when it came down to cold hard facts, Jim knew his limits better than Leo did. “Okay.”

“I’m gonna win – _we’re_ gonna win, just watch.” Jim gave him a tired grin, then jogged back out on the field.

Ten minutes felt like thirty, watching Jim run around the field. His play was absent of the usual purposeful movements and graceful power so characteristic of him. It was almost painful to watch.

The team scored a try in the last two minutes, bringing the final score to twenty-seven to thirteen. Despite their best efforts, the opposing team couldn’t take any ground, and the game ended with a loud buzzer.

The crowd erupted in cheers, a roar of applause washing over the field as Leo stood and whooped with joy. Jim grinned like he won the lottery, jumping with excitement between players, clapping them on the back or giving out hugs. His face somehow lit up even more when he made eye contact with Leo.

Jim ran toward him and collided with him, picking Leo up in a tight hug. He smelled awful, being so drenched in sweat, but Leo held on as Jim locked their lips together in a passionate kiss, twirling him around like a ballroom dancer.

His heart full to bursting, Leo couldn’t care less what anyone thought of him kissing his boyfriend in front of a crowd of hundreds.

Jim finally collapsed to his knees, nearly taking Leo to the grass with him. He held on for dear life around Leo’s waist.

“I’m so tired,” he murmured into Leo’s belly.

“I know, darlin’,” he said, carding his fingers through Jim’s wet hair. “You did it, though.”

“I did it. We did it.” Jim pulled away and looked up into Leo’s eyes. “I’m gonna go shower,” he said with an exhausted smile.

Leo chuckled and patted his head. “You go do that. I’ll be waiting.”

Jim stood again and the rest of the team surrounded him, each chattering or jumping excitedly. He let them direct him toward the building as Leo started cleaning up the unused medical equipment.

 

* * *

 

Leo stood impatiently outside the locker room in a small crowd of people. After the game, he really just wanted to take Jim home and make sure he rested. He wasn’t sure if the others nearby were family members, friends, or fans.

The stadium, once a constant din of activity, stood in relative silence, the nearby people being the closest source of noise. The afternoon sun beat down on Leo, keeping him comfortably warm in the mild westerly wind.

The locker room door burst open and startled him. Five players waved to him as they exited. Some girls broke off the pack to join them, some just chatting but one going in for a kiss. Then they departed for the parking lot.

Where was Jim?

Two more packs of players came out before Vastagh opened the door and helped Jim walk on wobbly legs toward Leo.

“Jim?” he croaked, concern blooming in his chest. He jogged over – along with a few fans – only for both Jim and Vastagh to wave him off.

“He’s fine,” Vastagh said, patting Jim’s shoulder. “Our fearless leader’s just tired.”

“Not injured?”

“No, just the nice burn of a good workout,” Jim huffed out with a grin.

“Can you take him from here? My mom wants to go out for victory lunch.”

“Yeah,” Leo nodded. “Sure.”

Leo resisted crumpling under Jim’s weight as Vastagh transferred him. Jim smelled like the gross soap the showers typically stocked, but he felt hot to the touch. “You really overdid it.”

“My boyfriend is the best,” Jim sang to Vastagh. One of the nearby girls made a disappointed noise. “He’s really the best, Zol.”

Leo chuckled as he helped Jim hobble to the car. “You need a nap.”

“I do. I deserve a nap.”

“Have fun at lunch,” Leo called out as Vastagh rendezvoused with a woman who presumably was his mother.

Jim kept leaning into his weight as they walked – slowly – toward the car. Some of his fans followed a dozen feet behind them, possibly wanting to say something but otherwise too timid.

“Here we go,” Leo groaned as he helped Jim into the passenger seat. “Are you gonna fall asleep on me?”

“Can I sleep on you?” Jim murmured. He smiled wide and looked deep in Leo’s eyes like he were eyeing a comfortable bed after a long day.

“Heh, maybe once we get you home.”

Leo rounded the car to drive them home and waved off the small gathering of admirers. They scattered like leaves in the wind. Jim, the adorable sweetheart, looked like he already fell asleep, head laying against the window.

“You asleep already?” Leo murmured.

Jim didn’t say anything all the way home.

 

* * *

 

“Here we are,” Leo groaned as he sat Jim down on his bed, his weight transferring from shoulder to mattress.

Jim gazed sleepily at nothing in particular. He lay back on the bed and closed his eyes.

“You gonna fall asleep on me again?”

“Not unless you’re under me,” he said with a chuckle.

Leo carefully straddled Jim’s lap and rested his hands on Jim’s flat belly. “I don’t want you to sleep, yet.”

“Wake me up if I pass out.”

Leo gently rubbed Jim’s belly. He worked one, then the other hand under his shirt to caress the hard muscle and soft fur.

“I won, Leo,” Jim said in a hush, sleepy murmur. “I won the championship.”

“I’m so proud of you,” Leo said. He stroked his hands up and down Jim’s six pack, and his cock strained against his shorts, poking Jim’s leg.

“I’m too tired for sex,” Jim chuckled. He grinned wide with crinkles at the corners of his eyes, but Leo kept gently petting his belly.

“That’s okay, darlin’,” he drawled. “I jus’ wanna show you I love you.” As he massaged Jim’s body, though, his interest – and dick – grew with each passing moment. Surely he could do _something,_ even if Jim were too tired.

Jim’s shaft stood ramrod straight, tenting his shorts. The angle was about right for—

“I’ll be right back, okay?”

Jim let out a soft “Okay,” and Leo climbed off him and crept off to the bathroom, where he summarily stripped, started the shower, and washed himself. After toweling off, he took out the solitary tube of lube in the closest drawer.

(Upon finding out Jim kept lube there, Jim informed him it was a fairly recent decision since – even though thus far they preferred sucking each other off – they might want to try something in the bathroom. Leo immediately countered that tile floor was very uncomfortable. Jim told him he’d purchase a thick bath mat, but had yet to do so.)

Leo squeezed out a respectable slurp of lube and worked a finger in himself. He worked, and worked, until he felt open enough to add a second, then a third finger. It surprised him how good it felt, using just his fingers. For good measure he tried a thumb, too.

If Jim was too tired for sex, then Leo would do all the work for him.

Wanting to give Jim a nice ‘present’ to unwrap, Leo put his shirt and boxers back on. Jim hadn’t moved from his position on the bed. Leo sat down on Jim’s lap again and resumed his massage.

“You’re back,” he said with a small, sleepy smile. “I thought maybe you got lost.”

“In your _house?_ ”

Leo curled his fingers under Jim’s shirt and carefully pulled it over his head. He tossed it toward the hamper without ceremony.

“I’m so lucky to have you,” Jim murmured after meeting Leo’s eyes.

Leo guided Jim’s hands to the hem of his shirt. With a bit of difficulty and a lot of giggling, Jim pulled it off him and dropped it on the floor in a heap.

Jim’s lips looked so plush and soft, Leo cradled his head and kissed him slow and tender. Jim’s hands stroked down his back, and Leo moaned. Jim chuckled and pulled away for a moment to say “You’re handsy today.”

Leo lay a palm on Jim’s belly and trailed a finger down his treasure trail. Jim alternated between watching Leo’s hand where he scratched his abs, and watching his face.

Taking off someone’s underwear while sitting on them wasn’t exactly easy, as Leo discovered when he tried not only taking off Jim’s shorts, but his own without moving much. After getting them both caught on themselves, he admitted defeat and stood to finally divest them. He sat down again, lining his crotch up with Jim’s to stroke them both with one hand and nestle their balls together.

Jim kept looking at him with half-lidded eyes as Leo rubbed his body with one hand and pleasured him with the other. He very nearly purred with contentment.

Now, for the surprise.

Leo clambered off him and knelt further up the bed, then reached around to guide Jim’s hard cock toward his ass.

“What’re you doin’?” Jim slurred, right before Leo carefully let his weight down – right on Jim’s manhood so the head slipped inside him. Just the sudden huff of breath Jim let out and the face he made – dear _God_ the face he made, eyes blown wide and locked with his, mouth in a little O – made it worth it. The stretch of Jim burned a bit, but he kept going. Inch by inch Leo took Jim in, hoping it felt as good for Jim as Jim buried in him did.

Leo finally sat on Jim’s lap and wiggled around a bit, massaging Jim’s lap with his butt.

“Holy shit,” Jim breathed out. He trailed his fingers up Leo’s thighs and grabbed his hands, lacing them together.

It was only his second time, but feeling and knowing that his boyfriend was so deep in him mixed together into a lovely rush of endorphins and a tidal wave of affection crashing in his lungs that stole his breath.

Leo wasn’t entirely sure how to move, but when he did the slick of Jim stretching him open burned a bit until it didn’t, and Jim moaned quietly until he wasn’t.

Jim’s eyes never left him as Leo slowly raised himself like a piston on Jim’s cock. Leo’s hands never left Jim, either, wandering over his belly or massaging his hard pecs, soft blond hair carding through his fingers with every movement.

“I love you,” Leo drawled, looking right at Jim’s sweet, scruffy grin.

“I don’t deserve you,” Jim chuckled as Leo pushed so deep he felt hairy balls hug his butt.

He slowed down a bit and relaxed his ass to really indulge the sensation of a burly, muscled man like Jim keeping him full. Leo was _so_ lucky. Every inch of the beautiful man under him deserved to be appreciated, and Leo palmed all over his torso, shoulders, and gripped his huge biceps with a light stroke down his forearms.

“Stay here all weekend,” Jim said.

Leo laughed and patted Jim’s tummy. “On top a’ you or at your house?”

“Both.” Jim gave a cheeky grin, and Leo clenched down on him and shimmied his rear. Jim let out a loud gasp and jerked from the sensation. “Jesus…”

Leo wore a big grin as Jim moaned from the slow rise and fall of Leo’s body on his cock as Leo tried to wring Jim’s cumshot out of him. He tried not to writhe under Leo, but apparently he felt so good around his dick that it was a losing fight. Leo’s weight was nothing compared to Jim’s strength, and he ever so slightly bucked up into him, head falling to the side as he let out a breath of pleasure.

“Can I cum in you?” Jim asked in a sleepy murmur. “Wanna… cum in you so bad.”

“Darlin’, that’s the only thing I want right now, ‘sides makin’ you feel good,” Leo drawled. He lay a hand right over Jim’s heart to feel it race under his palm.

Jim let his head fall back and his eyes shut as he suddenly shuddered. His fingers gripped Leo’s thighs and a rhythmic throb in him signaled what was coming. A quiet breath escaped his lips, his jaw dropping in soundless bliss as he emptied himself in Leo, every pulse pumping him full of more thick cum. His heart raced under Leo’s fingers and Leo kept massaging his pecs through his orgasm.

“That’s it, darlin’,” Leo said quietly, not entirely sure what he even meant by it. It sounded like the right thing to say in his head. “Jus’ gimme every drop you can.”

Jim’s belly heaved under Leo’s hands as his cock gave a few more weak twitches. Leo glanced down to see a small pool of precum on Jim’s tummy. He grabbed the lube and slicked himself up, but Jim felt so wonderful inside him and the first stroke felt so good he knew he wouldn’t last.

After only a few moments of stroking, Leo shuddered and jerked with pleasure as his body hugged Jim’s cock tight in time with every throb and rope of cum he shot all over Jim’s belly. Jim sighed as the warm jizz painted him and clung to his body. “Oh Leo,” he whispered.

His thighs and glutes burning, Leo relaxed and let all his weight rest on Jim’s lap, his half-hard cock pushing all the way in him and right against his g spot.

“Don’t stop rubbing me?” Jim asked quietly, not even opening his eyes.

“Uh…” Leo glanced at his huge load coating Jim.

“Pleeeease?”

Leo lay his hands on Jim’s belly again and slowly massaged his sticky abs. Jim seemed to purr and even smile like a cat as Leo inadvertently spread himself everywhere.

“I love you so much,” Jim slurred. “With all’ve my heart.”

Leo smiled as Jim drifted off to sleep, his belly and chest a big mess. He’d have to get up eventually, but for now he enjoyed the tender intimacy of sitting on his boyfriend, watching him sleep with a lax smile on his lips.

It was a good look for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By certain interpretations the beginning of the sex scene could be dub-con; I _promise_ it's fully consenting.


	36. Chapter 36

“Hey, um… the trophy ceremony is this Saturday. Do you wanna go?”

Leo peered over the top of his textbook at Jim, who gave a small smile. He had a particularly boyish look about him today. Leo still had the fresh memory of him with messy hair and his big glasses on that morning as they prepared for school. It only made Leo that much more eager to say—

He let his book drop to the library table with a thud. “A’course I do!” Some people nearby looked over in surprise, and Leo cringed before meeting Jim’s eyes. “Why wouldn’ I wanna see my boyfriend crowned rugby champion?”

Jim blinked, bewildered. “There’s – there’s no crown, you know that, right?”

“I – of course I know that! It’s not prom.”

“It is _so_ much less formal than prom,” Jim said with a grin. “We wear our uniforms, for one, and it’s at the stadium.”

Leo’s lips curled up as he imagined Jim’s ecstatic grin as he held a trophy skyward. “Do they engrave it? Do you get a trophy with James _Tiberius_ Kirk on it?”

Jim lightly shoved Leo, though he nearly fell off his chair. “No… maybe.”

“I like your middle name. It reminds me of—”

“Don’t say it.”

“—Ancient Rome.”

“God dammit,” Jim murmured, dropping his head to the table with a thud. “I knew you’d say that.”

A slight, hopeful warmth bubbled up in his chest. He resisted the urge to quash it himself. “Do I get a trophy…?”

Jim lifted his head and looked at Leo, his eyes diverting in thought. “Um… I doubt. You’re really important to the team, but…” Jim grimaced and scratched the back of his head. “I think only players get trophies.”

Leo deflated ever so slightly. “I figured as much.”

“You’ll definitely get one next year,” Jim said, scooting in closer to curl an arm around Leo and hold him close.

“You seem so sure.”

Jim’s hand gripped his shoulder and he gently thumbed at Leo’s neck. “I am sure.”

Leo hummed with content and leaned into Jim’s big frame. His blood ran cold at the sight of someone very familiar walking by and glaring at him. “Oh my god, is that – wait!” he called out, tearing away from Jim’s embrace and chasing after her.

“Leo? What’s gotten into you?”

Leo spun toward Jim and gestured toward her – the girl who broke down in tears the day after prom. “I never apologized!”

Jim’s eyes widened in realization. “I didn’t either… Go get her, then! Bring her back here!”

Leo slid along the floor with a rubber screech and into the hallway, searching for the pink cat backpack she wore. He spotted her to the left and followed, muscling past more than a few teens who answered with angry interjections and mild vitriol.

She turned down a less-frequented hallway. “Hey,” Leo said as he neared her, their footsteps echoing off the tile floor. “Hey, wait!”

She turned and stared, brown eyes narrowed in a piercing, angry gaze. “What?!”

Leo stopped abruptly, nearly colliding with her. “I – uh… you’re the girl from Jim’s history class, right?”

“There are plenty of girls in Jim’s history class.”

 _Playing dumb._ “The one who talked to us in the library?”

After a moment of scrutiny, she said, “Yeah, why? Here to rub dating him in my face?”

“Wh—no! I wanted to—” Leo combed his fingers through his hair in thought. “I wanted to talk to you about what happened. I wanted to say I’m sorry.”

Her hateful scowl melted away into a curious raise of her eyebrows. “You did…?”

“Yeah.” _Bring her back here!_ “Jim wanted to talk to you, too.”

“I haven’t spoken to him since.” Her eyes fell in pensive thought. “It’d be kind of weird after…”

Leo sighed. “You don’t sit next to him anymore, do you?”

She shook her head. “I don’t even have to glare anymore to get him to keep his distance.”

Leo crossed his arms and pondered. “Well… would ya come with me to talk to him?”

Her brow furrowed in what Leo could only guess was the glare she gave Jim. Her features relaxed and she let out an audible sigh. “Alright, whatever. You better hope for your sake this isn’t a cruel prank.”

Leo led her back to the library in dead, uncomfortable silence. She took point before entering the library and paused at the sight of Jim sitting, hunched over himself. He sheepishly waved and tried to smile, but let it fall as he looked down at the table. The awkward silence intensified as she stood for a few moments before finally approaching and taking a seat across from Jim.

“Hi Meg,” he said with a slight croak.

“Hi.”

Leo sat next to Jim and glanced at him; he looked quite the opposite of a man with a plan.

“So um…” he started. “I’m not really sure what exactly I did or said that made it seem like I was… uh, _interested_ in…”

“Dating,” Meg added.

“Yeah. That. I really didn’t mean to. I didn’t want a beard or anything like that.”

“You know,” Meg said. She let out a sigh. “I think I got caught up in wishful thinking – I mean, who wouldn’t? Just _look_ at you.” Leo cringed and Jim’s eyes fell ever so slightly. “But when I thought about it, nothing we talked about really said ‘I’m totally interested’ to me. I guess I held onto anger out of some self-righteousness or something, I don’t know.”

After a moment of contemplation, Leo cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I laughed, I wasn’t laughing at you, I promise.” He glanced up to meet her eyes for a brief moment, then fell to the beige table again. “That was a _really_ weird day. Lots of really gross people harassing us, and I could only laugh at how the day was shaping up.”

Meg’s eyebrows shot up. _“That’s_ what it was about?”

“Yeah…” Leo ducked his head again.

“ _Harassing_ you?”

Jim piped up, “One girl wanted us to make out for her.”

Meg scowled and recoiled slightly. “No way!”

“Can’t make this shit up,” Jim replied.

Leo’s stomach turned as he recalled the events of that day. “Someone asked if I’m the _girl._ ”

“Ew!” Meg held out a hand to stop Leo. “You know what, say no more. I think I get it.”

Jim looked up in surprise. “You mean…”

“I mean I accept your apologies.”

Jim let out a breath in a big rush of air. “Okay… good. I – that’s good.”

“If that had been me… I don’t know how I’d react, but laughing sounds pretty damn close.”

“I hope you never have to experience that,” Jim said, shaking his head.

“Women deal with slime balls like that on a daily basis, but… thanks. I should get going.”

“Okay. See you in History,” Jim said with a wave.

“Bye Jim, Bones.”

Leo let out a shaky breath as Meg left through the library’s main doors. “I wasn’t sure she’d take it at first.”

“Neither was I.”

“I’m glad we did that. Good to know she doesn’t _totally_ hate us.”

“I really don’t think she hates you,” Jim said as he patted Leo on the shoulder. “Maybe envy you a bit.”

“I’m still getting used to that…” Leo murmured.

“Being envied?”

“It’s a new thing for me.”

“It’ll pass.” Jim met his eyes with a smile and stroked Leo’s neck. “I’m proud of you, you know that?”

Leo’s heart skipped a beat. “What for?”

“A lot of reasons, actually, but right now? Because of what you just did.”

Leo’s cheeks flared and he glanced away, unable to meet Jim’s beautiful, crinkled eyes. “It was the decent thing to do.”

Jim pulled him close again until he molded his side against Leo. “Yeah, but you could have just let it sit, forgotten.”

“Who does that help?”

Jim stayed quiet for a few moments, his hand stroking anywhere he could reach. “You’re a really great guy, you know that?”

The heat in Leo’s cheeks renewed. “So I’ve been told.”

Jim’s hand left his side only to squeeze between them and lace their fingers together. His thumb rubbed Leo’s in tiny circles as Jim resumed his studying. Though his book beckoned to him, Leo’s thoughts stayed on his boyfriend’s hand gently holding his.

 

* * *

 

“I think maybe… at least during finals, we shouldn’t really hang out?” Jim asked with more tentativeness than Leo had ever heard in his voice.

Leo’s chest hurt as he thought of possibilities as to _why_ Jim didn’t want to hang out; maybe it was a prelude to asking for space, or he wanted to focus on studying, or he wanted to break up…

“You – wh—why’s that?” Leo stammered.

“Well… I don’t… think that…” Jim paused for a moment and looked up at Leo from across Leo’s table.

He looked _ravishing_ that evening, wearing a black tank top that showed off the deep valley of his pecs, lots of golden fur, and bare, freckled, beefy arms. If they weren’t studying, Leo would most likely be making Jim’s chest (and lap) his temporary home.

“Sorry, it’s not bad, I promise. I just really don’t wanna misword this…”

“That’s okay,” Leo croaked. “Though, the suspense is killing me.”

“Okay, I’m… finals are very important. Studying is important, too.”

Leo raised an eyebrow.

“I think we should study separately, at least for the classes we don’t have together.” Jim looked expectantly at Leo, appraising him.

“Oh. I think… I agree with you.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve been imagining burying my face in your balls for the last… twenty or so minutes.”

Jim pursed his lips to hold back a laugh before failing – with a loud guffaw and a toothy grin. “Oh my god, I wasn’t expecting that!”

Leo chuckled too as he watched Jim laugh so hard he had to wipe tears away. He looked so sweet when he laughed, like his smile could make flowers bloom.

“Honest to God, I keep getting distracted thinking of making sweet love to you,” Jim murmured with a bucktoothed smile. “It’s making studying very difficult.”

“Maybe it’s for the best, then.”

“Okay. I hate to leave, but… I – we really shouldn’t.”

Jim gathered up his books and stood, shaking pins and needles out of his legs. Leo approached him and cupped Jim’s jaw to give him a soft, sweet kiss that ended with a quiet smooching sound.

“I love you,” they both said in unison. Leo smiled as he stroked Jim’s jaw. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jim said.

“Okay…” Leo failed to keep the disappointment out of his tone, but Jim had a very good point. The day prior, their studying had been interrupted not once, not twice, but four times with kissing and heavy petting before one of them backed off and insisted they return to their work.

Leo escorted Jim to the foyer and toed on some sandals as he watched Jim put on his shoes. The bright late afternoon sun hurt his eyes as they stepped outside.

Jim packed his things in the car and he was halfway in the driver’s seat when Leo called out to him.

“Jim, wait!”

Jim stood again and watched as Leo rounded the car. Leo held his arms open for a hug and Jim eagerly drew him in, enveloping him in warm muscle as Leo ducked and buried his face in Jim’s chest hair.

“I love you,” he murmured, face smushed against Jim’s pecs, soft fur against his cheek and the smell of sandalwood filling his nose.

“Aww,” Jim cooed, holding Leo tight against him. “It’s only for, like, a week.”

“I know. I don’t wanna, though.”

Jim laughed and patted his back. “How are you to study with this hot piece of man meat around?”

“Oh my _god,_ ” Leo groaned. He playfully pushed Jim away and slapped his arm. Jim grinned and shielded himself with his hands.

“Gah! Uncle! Uncle!”

“You dork,” Leo said.

“You love it, you know it’s true.”

“You _dork,_ ” Leo insisted, despite Jim’s waggling eyebrows and ear-to-ear smile.

“Alright,” Jim said, with a bit of finality. “I’m gonna head home.”

“Drive safe.”

Jim kissed Leo on the cheek, then started the car and drove off. _Not quite into the sunset,_ he thought. Not late enough.

Leo watched Jim round the corner. It was only a few days. He turned toward the front door and started at the sight of David, arms crossed and leaning against the doorframe with a big smile.

“What’re you lookin’ at?”

“Jus’ watchin’ my son say g’bye to his boyfriend.”

Leo burned hot as he entered his home. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

“Oh come now,” David said in a hush tone. “It’s not like I haven’t seen worse.”

“ _Papa!_ ”

 

* * *

 

Somehow, the week flew by. Leo studied at home, studied at school, finished his final assignments, and impatiently (and anxiously) awaited the next week.

On Saturday after the trophy ceremony, Jim kept Leo in one arm and his championship trophy in his free hand as he talked animatedly with the team.

“ _Roosevelt Cup 2014 champion,_ ” Jim said, reading off the engraving. “Has a nice ring to it. Doesn’t it, gentlemen?”

The trophy was enormous, a gold-looking, ornate cup that seemed to sweep upward away from the black base, ending in what Leo thought was a pair of eagles at the point. Every time Jim moved a bit too jovially, Leo braced for the very real possibility that he’d drop it.

“Jim, darlin’,” he drawled, a hand curled around Jim’s hard oblique, the other around their plaque boxes. “Could you stop wavin’ the trophy around? I don’t want you droppin’ it.”

“Listen to your boyfriend, cap’n,” Vastagh said, with a playful warning tone.

“Oh… fine.”

Jim finally calmed down and steadied himself. Leo spotted someone familiar approaching from the parking lot, and awkwardly gestured toward him with his elbow.

“Jim, look over there. That looks like my papa.”

Jim squinted at the approaching figure – time for an eye exam – and nodded. “Yeah, that looks a hell of a lot like him.”

“Howdy, boys!” David bellowed. He had swapped out his wireframes for prescription shades, but otherwise was the same dark-haired and far-too-embarrassing father of Leo McCoy. “Well, quite a fine trophy you have there, Jim.”

“Uh, hi Mr. McCoy. I didn’t expect to see you here,” Jim said.

“Sorry I missed the ceremony,” he drawled. “Th’ surgery went a bit longer than I expected.”

“Surgery? Shouldn’t you still be at the hospital?” asked a bewildered Andrews.

“What? No! I was the one doin’ it! I’m fit as a fiddle.”

“Er… papa’s a surgeon,” Leo added.

“Now, I may have missed the ceremony, but I can still bring you two home for the celebrations!”

“Celebrations?” Jim asked. Leo felt him straighten up a bit in piqued interest.

“O’ course!” David exclaimed with a huge grin. “I got a surprise for you two.”

“Wouldn’t it have made more sense to do it right after the game?” Vastagh asked.

“I _wanted_ to, but these two rascals snuck off to Jim’s house before we could an’ I didn’t hear from ‘em until sunup.”

“I’m sure they celebrated on their own, sir,” someone behind Vastagh added. A few teammates chuckled knowingly and Leo glared as his face grew hot.

David sputtered and scratched the back of his neck. “Well I – uh… well, I’ll wait while you socialize an’ then we can git goin’.”

“You don’t have to wait around for us,” Jim said. “We’ll head home eventually.”

“Now that’s a problem, son, on account of me not havin’ a car. Leonard’s mama jus’ dropped me off an’ I said g’bye after I saw you two were still here.”

Jim gaped for a moment. “Oh.”

David shrugged. “Prolly a bad idea, in retrospect. I’m gonna go sit on the bleachers while you talk to your friends. Nice to meet you, boys,” he said to the team with a nod, then he left to sit on the bleachers while people ambled around him.

“He’s just gonna… sit there and wait?” Jim asked in disbelief.

David took out his phone and stared at it as they watched. Perhaps he had a game up, but the look of boredom suggested something menial like reading emails.

“We shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

Leo gave Jim a sidelong look. “Yeah, probably not. You ready to go?”

“Yeah. Lemme go give the trophy back to Chris.”

Leo waved goodbye to the team. Vastagh surprised him by coming up and shaking his hand.

“Um… good working with you, Bones. I’m gonna miss you.”

“Yeah?” Wouldn’t he be playing next year?

“Yeah. My parents are moving, so I’m transferring schools.”

“Oh. I’m – I’m sorry,” he answered, feeling a little lame.

Vastagh looked down sadly, tawny hair falling in his eyes. “Eh, I’m – we’re moving to Seattle. Seattle’s great, right? It’ll be great.”

“That’s what I hear.”

“Listen,” he said, dropping his voice. He checked for eavesdroppers, then leaned in. “You be good to the captain, okay?”

“Huh? Have I not been?”

“No, no! I mean… every time he talks about you it’s like – maybe I should start over.”

Leo raised an incredulous eyebrow.

“What I _mean_ is… you both are real good for each other. I’ve seen how he looks when he talks about you, like he’s talking about… I don’t know, but you can like, you can _see_ how much he cares and I can hear how much he appreciates you.”

“Oh… Zoltán, I don’t know what to say.”

Vastagh nodded for some reason, then continued. “You’ve always kept to yourself, but whenever I see the captain sit with you on the sidelines, it’s easy to see how much you care, and I – well…”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t know how to say this, but… I hope you two make it. Or something?” He shrugged with a grin and scratched the back of his neck. “That’s all. Good luck, and have a good summer.”

“Thank you,” Leo said. He felt a little warm, like a strange peace had washed over him. “I hope you like your new school.”

“Thanks.” Vastagh went in for another handshake – a very gentle one – and a soft pat on the shoulder that somehow seemed too gentle for just friends. He wondered if maybe Vastagh liked him a bit more than he had ever let on. When they parted and Vastagh waved goodbye, Leo felt all the more sad that he’d be leaving the team.

“Hey,” Jim said from behind, making Leo jump.

“Whoa! Where did you come from?”

Jim came up to him – David close behind – and curled an arm around Leo’s shoulder. “I saw you talking to Zol. I figured I wouldn’t intrude. He was never much for group conversations.”

Leo turned to watch Vastagh walking toward his car, his parents at his side. “Evidently.”

“Alrighty, let’s skedaddle,” David said as he clapped Jim on the shoulder.

“Ow! That smarts!”

 

* * *

 

David’s only request was to be given a few minutes before Leo and Jim went inside. He said it was ‘a mess’ and that he wanted to clean a bit.

“Whaddya think he’s doin’?” Leo drawled. “He hasn’t cared about it bein’ messy since we told him we’re dating.”

Jim quietly laughed and smirked. “Not that it’s ever really that messy in the first place. He keeps everything tidy.”

“We’re apparently gonna celebrate your victory. I wonder what that involves.”

The front door opened and David peeked out. He gestured for them to come in, then disappeared again.

“This’ll be interesting,” Jim said.

Leo and Jim stomped out the dirt from their shoes and slipped them off inside. Jim headed for Leo’s room to drop off his Most Valuable Player award and Roosevelt cup plaque, but stopped with a “Whoa!” In the kitchen.

“Surprise!” David yelled. He blew on a party noisemaker and something loud popped.

“What in tarnation…” Leo muttered as he picked up the pace until he saw Jim covered in purple confetti.

“Mr. McCoy?” Jim asked.

The kitchen had been decorated with streamers of various colors and foil balloons emblazoned with ‘Congratulations!’ floated around aimlessly, anchored to the floor with small plastic weights. It smelled distinctly of pizza; indeed, Leo noticed two large pizzas on the table.

“I have pizza, and ice cream, too!” David exclaimed. He popped another popper, showering Leo in red confetti. “I wasn’t sure what kind you like, so I just got… brownie chunk with fudge on the side, on account of it’s Leonard’s favorite.”

“I – I don’t know what to say, sir. This is…”

“Too much?”

David looked forlorn as he awaited Jim’s reply. Jim looked over his shoulder at Leo to meet his eyes. Leo raised his brows in what he hoped said _just go with it._

Jim smiled wide and looked back at David. “No, sir, this is great!”

“Awesome! And, don’t call me sir…” David said as he guided Jim to sit at the head of the table.

Jim seemed overwhelmed in the moment, blearily looking around as he set his award boxes on the table and reclined in the chair. He focused on the balloons, then the streamers, the poppers, and the handful of noisemakers on the table, his lips curling upward with every passing moment into a big, bucktoothed grin.

“I didn’ know what kinda pizza you like, so I got…” David opened the boxes in front of them to show off what he ordered. “Pepperoni and supreme half and half, and Hawaiian and meat lovers half and half.”

“Oh my gosh, you didn’t have to do all this, David!”

Leo reached for a slice of meat lovers. Jim went for pepperoni and Hawaiian.

“Now tell me,” his father said as he folded a slice of supreme lengthwise. “All about this game that I missed, ‘cuz it sounds exciting.”

Jim recounted the game for him in dramatic detail, pantomiming every dodge and toss between bites of pizza. David listened with rapt attention, forgetting his own pizza half the time. Jim looked so enthused to have someone to tell about the game – though he had to stop often and explain terms.

“Most Valuable Player,” David said as he looked at Jim’s freshly unboxed award. “That’s wonderful. That is really somethin’ Jim.”

Jim blushed with a big smile and had to drop his spoon of ice cream lest he get it all over his lips.

“Do you have any other awards?” Leo asked. He had opted to let Jim and David bond for a while, though curiosity got the better of him.

“Um… well, I have a runner up plaque, but I don’t really count that, so it’s in storage. There’s a lame ‘participation’ award from middle school that I threw out.” He chuckled and took a bite of ice cream, some fudge getting on his lip. “Participation awards suck.”

“So this is your first big one?” David asked.

“Yeah.”

“Most Valuable Player,” Leo mused. His heart overflowed with pride as he watched Jim demolish the rest of his ice cream. He’d have to kiss that fudge off if Jim didn’t clean it off first.

David admired the Championship trophy now sitting on the table. It gleamed under the chandelier, the reflection obscuring the details on it. Leo watched David beam with pride as he ran a finger over the brass depicting Jim’s name. “I might could take a sick day the next time championships come ‘round. The other surgeons’ll scoff, but…”

“How come?” Jim asked.

“Oh, it – it’s not important,” David dismissed with a wave. “What matters is you an’ Leonard in the finals, next year.”

Leo could hardly imagine himself playing in finals, much less as hard as Jim had played. He was surprised Jim hadn’t torn something in his legs. Thinking about doing it himself made him anxious, and being anxious made the pizza sit poorly.

But there was an entire year between now and then.

He looked at Jim, still eating ice cream with a big smile, an ever-lengthening drip of fudge in his beard, and at David who had constantly made every attempt to make Jim feel welcome, to make Leo feel loved, and reminded himself:

No pain, no gain.


	37. Chapter 37

With Leo’s last solution penciled in his Calculus final, came freedom. Freedom for three sweet months to do whatever he wished – aside from scheduled tutoring. A man had to earn his living, after all.

Or rather, freedom came after Calculus ended. Until then, Mr. Janeway had them in his grip.

“Alright, class,” he said as someone turned in their exam. “That’s the last exam!” Everyone whooped and cheered, and he waved his hands frantically. “Okay, okay, calm down, I’m not done yet! To celebrate the end of the year… I ordered pizzas!”

_Everyone_ cheered, even louder than before. Leo covered his ears. Jim laughed and mouthed ‘ow!’

“I thought I’d make your last class of the year more interesting. Just don’t tell administration – I’m not supposed to do this.”

Knowing pizza was on the way was a bit tortuous. More tortuous was Jim’s leg constantly bouncing against Leo’s, his chair squeaking sometimes.

“Jim, darlin’, please stop doin’ that, I’m beggin’ you.”

Jim whined and let his head loll backward. “But pizza is on the way and it’s not here yet… What kind do you think Mr. Janeway ordered?”

“Prolly the ol’ standby of pepperoni an’ cheese.”

“Stop your drawling, you southern bastard,” Jim laughed.

Mr. Janeway occupied everyone with riddles and math puzzles until someone knocked on the door. Every head in the room turned to stare, wide-eyed like a parliament of owls eyeing potential prey. “Dear god, that’s creepy,” Mr. Janeway said with a shudder. “Look away while I pay, jeez.”

The promising smell of pizzas filled the room as Mr. Janeway took _five_ pizza boxes and three boxes of breadsticks from the delivery woman.

“Oh god,” Jim murmured. He craned his neck in a futile attempt to see what all Mr. Janeway ordered. “Can’t tell what he bought.”

“Well, duh, he hasn’t opened it!”

“Don’t ‘duh’ your boyfriend,” Jim harshly whispered, giving a light backhanded smack to Leo’s arm.

“Don’t hit me,” Leo chuckled, returning the smack in kind.

Jim shot him a little smirk before turning his attention back to the food.

“Alright everyone, come and get it!” Mr. Janeway exclaimed. “One breadstick per person, and don’t think I won’t know if you cheat and take extra!”

Normally disorderly teenagers formed a throng more chaotic than usual around the pizzas until Mr. Janeway reformed everyone in a queue.

Two pepperoni, two meat lovers, and a lone cheese pizza. Once everyone had a few slices, Mr. Janeway put on a movie for the last half hour of class.

The bell ringing was all the sweeter today, for it signaled the last time he’d hear it until late August. It was a little bittersweet – he liked Mrs. Masters and Mr. Janeway and his other teachers, too. He’d only see them in passing now, unless he visited.

He and Jim stayed behind while everyone else erupted through the door, desperate to escape the clutches of the public school system as rapidly as possible. They shook Mr. Janeway’s hand and bid him farewell, then left for the gymnasium. Most of the student body had left already in a rush to begin their summer vacation. A few stragglers remained in the hallways, chatting with friends.

The gymnasium was locked.

“Aw… I really wanted to say bye to Chris.” Jim frowned and looked through the windows, but the lights were off already.

“You can call him or something,” Leo said.

“It’s not the same.”

“I know it’s not the same,” Leo said, curling an arm around Jim’s shoulder. Jim, dejected, slumped over ever so slightly. “It’s better than nothin’.”

Jim sighed and tried the door, but it predictably resisted. He knocked, but no one came. “Yeah… better than nothing.”

“C’mon, let’s go.”

On the way to the car, Leo thought about how much he’d miss rugby and coach Pike, but that was only half a year away – both a long time and not enough time all the same. Half a year to wait, half a year to prepare. He didn’t get to say bye to Pike either.

“Something on your mind?” Jim asked as he led Leo – he had strayed from the path while off in his thoughts.

“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

“You wanna go to your place, or mine?”

Leo unlocked the doors of his truck. “ _You_ are goin’ home an’ gettin’ ready for our date, tonight.”

Jim deflated almost audibly, dejectedly tossing his backpack in the back seat. “Aw, come on! We don’t have time for something fun, first?”

Leo crossed his arms and glared over the top of the car. “So our date isn’t your idea of fun?”

Jim wilted at the sight of angry Leo. “That’s not what I meant…”

“Hell, there’ll be plenty of time after. I absolutely do _not_ want you keepin’ it in your pants after.”

Jim waggled his bushy eyebrows and grinned. “Is that a promise?”

Leo maintained his stern gaze as long as possible, before he couldn’t keep up the ruse; that face was too adorable. He broke into a smile and slowly nodded. “Yeah, darlin’, that’s a promise.”

“Yessss!” Jim hissed with a celebratory fist pump.

“Now I’m gonna drop you off at home, I gotta do some last-minute prep before our date.”

They took their seats and Jim buckled in as Leo started the car. “Yes sir!”

 

* * *

 

Last Wednesday evening, David had taken his usual spot at the dining room table for his evening ritual of skimming the newspaper. As Leo passed by to get a snack, an article in the local news caught his eye: a local architecture model exhibit. After pestering his father for the clipping about it he retreated to his room and texted Jim, telling him to reserve an evening for a date.

Now Leo had all afternoon to while away in anticipation of their date. What exactly do people wear to art exhibits? Formal? Semi-formal? Ultra-casual? He’d have to search online or ask Dav—

His phone rang. It wasn’t Jim. He usually wasn’t one to answer unfamiliar numbers, but… at least it would pass some time.

“Hello?” he said, cradling his phone on his shoulder as he looked through his wardrobe.

_“Hi, Mr. McCoy?”_ asked a pleasant, feminine voice.

“Yes’m? That’s me.”

_“Hi, it’s Lindsay from Sandy’s Floral calling to let you know your order is ready for pickup.”_

 

* * *

 

While only marginally busier than the last time he visited, the florist’s selection was livelier than ever. Being on the cusp of summer meant even more plants were in bloom, and a heavy mix of fragrances hung in the air.

He had to wait in line behind a woman buying some large purple tulips and a young man who never stopped sending texts during his entire visit, apparently buying a bouquet of roses. The thin, elderly woman behind the counter gave him a smile like one’s grandmother might if she were presenting him with homemade cookies.

“Hi, how may I help you today?”

“Hi, picking up an order,” Leo said simply as he handed her his order sheet.

She took the slip and scrutinized it through thin bifocals. “Ah, that’ll be just a few moments.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

She returned a few moments later with four boxes, each containing a boutonnière that looked slightly shinier than when he had dropped them off so many weeks ago.

“Alrighty… there’s your boutonnières, young man. Will that be all?”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”

As she rang him up, he inspected the result; his orange ones looked amazing, and even better was how perfectly preserved Jim’s purple flowers looked. This would make a lovely gift to give before their date. Or after. At some point, anyway. When exactly should he present it?

 

* * *

 

At five-thirty sharp, Leo rang Jim’s doorbell. The ding was immediately followed by the heavy footsteps characteristic of Jim nearly sprinting for the door. When he flung the door open, Leo scowled.

“I appreciate your enthusiasm but _please,_ don’t run in socks. One of these days you’re gonna slip and break your neck.”

“Okay _mom,_ ” Jim grumbled. “But seriously, I won’t do it anymore.”

“Oh,” Leo said, honestly surprised as he stepped over the threshold. “Thank you.”

Now that his annoyance bled away, Leo could appreciate what Jim wore – a soft blue formal shirt that brought out his eyes to look like sparkling gems. Ever one to torment Leo, more than a few buttons were undone, showing off lots of chest hair. Something in the air smelled wonderfully masculine.

“…Are you wearin’ cologne?” he drawled.

“I might be.”

Jim’s pants strained to contain his butt as he bent over to put on his shoes. Images of that beautiful butt, bared naked for Leo floated to the forefront of his mind.

“Shit,” he muttered.

Jim looked over his shoulder, up into Leo’s eyes. “Something wrong?”

“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”

Jim resumed fumbling with his shoes, and Leo briefly daydreamed about his cock sliding in his absurdly fit boyfriend.

“I’m ready!” Jim exclaimed as he stood. He glanced down at the paper bag Leo held in front of his now-hard cock. “What’s in the bag?”

“Oh, right. These are for you.” He held out the loop handles and Jim peeked inside.

“Are these…” He took the bag and gingerly withdrew the pristine boxed flowers from prom. “Oh my god.”

“I had ‘em preserved. Wasn’t sure if you’d think of it, so I snuck ’em out when I went home.”

Jim gave him a wide grin that softened into a gentle smile. He gazed at the flowers for a while until his eyes looked wet. “I was wondering where they went.”

“Make sure to keep ‘em somewhere safe.”

“So, not with the mermaid.”

Leo burst out laughing and cackled until his sides hurt. “No, not with the mermaid!” Jim tittered as Leo bent over and coughed from laughter, wheezing once or twice before calming down. “Hoo boy. Well I’m ready to go, you?”

“Have been for a few minutes, now.”

Leo held out an elbow for Jim. Though he gave Leo a funny look, he took it and let Leo guide him to the car.

“These surprise dates are exciting!” Jim bounced in his seat with anticipation as Leo drove them toward the exhibit venue. “Are we going to a restaurant? A movie? A park?”

Leo looked over and gave a teasing smile. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

Jim pestered… and pestered… and didn’t stop until Leo parked in the large lot of the architecture institute. Leo looked over expecting excitement; his heart sank when he saw confusion.

“What’s this?” Jim asked.

“It’s – uh…”

Jim made eye contact, his brow furrowed in concern and befuddlement. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“Yeah!” Leo forced. “Great. I’m… great. Let’s head in.”

Perhaps he’d be more interested once he was inside.

Leo led Jim toward the entrance, where a small queue formed. As the line progressed and ushers handed out guides, Leo’s stomach twisted more and more. Maybe this was a bad idea. Time remained to pass it off as a joke and take Jim somewhere for dinner – dinner he couldn’t presently afford.

Four people in front of them. Leo refused to look at Jim. An usher smiled and handed Jim a guide booklet. Leo still refused to look at Jim.

“Oh, a model exhibit. That’s neat!”

Leo breathed a sigh of relief and finally glanced at his boyfriend.

He wore a tiny smile that grew when they stepped through the threshold and saw a row of model buildings. Jim took Leo’s hand and pulled him closer. Each one had a placard that described the design intent and the designer.

“Look at this one,” Jim said, pointing toward one particular model – a slate gray building with trapezoidal sloping walls next to an equally strange angular swimming pool. Jim looked at the plaque next to it. “It’s a design for a luxury hotel.”

“Would the walls sloping out like that make it unstable?”

Jim shook his head. “Not really, not if it’s supported right.”

Another model was a tall blue spire that twisted on itself into a helix. “That one is cool. It reminds me of the photo you have of the one from Dubai. The, uh… the Burr…”

“Burj Khalifa!” Jim exclaimed with a grin.

“Yeah! That one!”

Leo watched Jim get up close to examine the details of the model. “This one is a bit bolder in its design. I like the twists to it – imagine having a corner office in there.”

“I—” Leo stared at it and thought about how the building might sway in strong winds – would furniture slide on the floor? What if he tripped and smashed through the window? Then he’d— “I think I’ll pass.”

Jim led him by the hand to model after model, weaving between people looking in quiet contemplation at the exhibits. Jim stared for a while at a complex polyhedral building that defied geometric classification.

“You know what would be cool?” Jim asked. He wore a little smile, the sort of wistful one Leo only saw when Jim daydreamed.

“What?”

“Working in a building I designed.” One corner of his lips pulled upward in a lopsided grin.

“You wanna do that?” Leo asked, not in any way trying to encourage an alternative career. No, not at all.

“People would be all, ‘wow this is a gorgeous building,’ and I’d say, ‘thanks. I designed it.’ And if they _don’t_ like it, I can watch them stare in horror as they think about their faux pas.”

Leo laughed and patted Jim’s shoulder. “Darlin’, you’re _evil,_ ” he drawled.

Leo’s dread ended up being over nothing; as late afternoon progressed into evening, Jim grew more excited about the models. He insisted they sit through a short lecture about the past of architecture and the future of new construction methods. He took Leo through the prefabricated buildings section – mostly out of curiosity, they were rather plain but the material efficiency piqued Jim’s interest. They listened to a lecture on energy efficient construction. By the start of their third hour in the exhibit, Jim could hardly contain his adorable, nerdy excitement.

They sequestered themselves in a corner, nursing plastic cups of frigid water that tasted like the filter was in dire need of replacement.

“This was such a nice surprise,” Jim murmured. He had a big, boyish smile that barely showed off teeth, his adorable dimples visible.

“I’m glad you’re enjoyin’ it, darlin’.”

Jim locked eyes with him, his grin warming Leo to the core. It felt a bit hot, suddenly. Leo’s eyes drifted downward against his will, honing in on the hairy crease between Jim’s pecs.

“Are you enjoying the view?” Jim asked with a smirk.

“When don’t I?” Leo said, taking a long sip of water.

Jim looked at Leo’s lips and licked his own, puckering them in a barely visible kissing motion.

“You wanna get outta here?”

Jim looked like a cat that got the cream. “You wanna go home?”

Leo looked around – quite a few people in earshot. “Yeah. Let’s go ‘home.’”

They tossed their water cups and bid good evening to the doormen, then hurried to the car as daydreams of intimate possibilities steadily tightened their pants.

Leo took the driver’s seat, but glanced at Jim before turning the engine. “What should we do about dinner?”

“Takeout,” Jim answered without hesitation. “Or drive-thru. I don’t really care what. I just—” He met Leo’s eyes, a passion subtly burning in his. “I really want you,” he murmured.

Leo’s jaw dropped, but he steeled himself despite his increasingly aching cock. “Drive-thru it is, but I’m gettin’ the quality stuff, not that cheap shee-it.”

Jim let out a laugh and Leo started the car, driving as directly as possible to the best drive-thru he knew.

“Come _on,_ ” Jim begged no one in particular as they waited in line after ordering cheeseburgers and onion rings. “I need food and I need _you_ – probably not in that order.”

“I’m not doin’ it in the car, jus’ so you know,” Leo warned, glancing at Jim out of the corner of his eye.

“I don’t wanna do it in the car, I wanna do it in the privacy of my bedroom, where I can focus on you and not wonder if someone’s looking in the window,” Jim said with an expressive wave for emphasis.

“And no gettin’ car seats dirty.”

“That too.”

Second car in line.

Jim groaned and incessantly bounced his leg. “I’m _so hungry._ ”

“You mean for burgers, or for me?” Leo chuckled.

“For _you. Then_ burgers,” Jim answered, more decisive than ever.

“Whatta you wanna do?” Leo asked, lightly palming his crotch.

“Not think about it this very second in case I give myself blue balls.” Jim lolled his head in Leo’s direction until their eyes met. The setting sun lit them up to look green-blue, and they roamed over Leo’s face and down his neck. “You know when the light hits your face just right, your eyes look like they’re made of gold.”

“Yours look like the ocean,” Leo said, staring right in them.

“I’ve never been to the ocean.”

“Really?” Leo asked. “Now that’s a damn shame. It’s stunning.”

“I haven’t ever left the state.”

Leo’s eyebrows shot up. “Never?”

“Never.” Jim’s eyes still trailed downward toward Leo’s crotch.

First car. The drive thru attendant bid good evening and handed him a receipt for $22.79.

“Christ Almighty,” Leo muttered. He handed over a few bills and the attendant closed his window again. “I forgot how expensive good take out is.”

“For an atheist, you sure do talk about God a lot,” Jim chuckled.

“Bad habit from mom. Now, about this ‘never left the state’ business. You’re gonna have to visit Georgia at some point. It’s god damn beautiful in the spring, though the locals can be… disagreeable.”

Jim’s left eyebrow raised ever so slightly. “What _kind_ of disagreeable?”

“The kind folk like us should avoid.”

Jim let out a breath and let his head hit the headrest. “Lovely.”

The attendant opened the window and Jim grasped at air as Leo took the bags. “Alright, alright, here.” Leo pawned them off to Jim, who clutched them tightly, though he did not open them. “You don’t wanna snack a bit on the way home?” Leo asked, noting Jim had yet to open either a few minutes later.

“I don’t wanna spoil my appetite,” he replied. He tried to wink, but ended up closing both eyes instead. Leo laughed. “What?”

“You know, I was thinkin’ the same thing.”

Leo drove to Jim’s house as quickly as speed laws and good old fashioned common sense allowed. After getting stuck in traffic for a good twenty minutes and finally escaping into the suburbs, Leo pulled in Jim’s driveway shortly after nine.

Leo’s ‘appetite’ had subsided a bit not long after traffic made him realize how long he’d have to wait. Now, hunger pangs and growls hit rather frequently.

Jim stopped in the entrance and looked back and forth between the kitchen and the hallway that led to his room. He started toward his room, then went for the kitchen, then paused again.

“You look indecisive,” Leo said.

“I’m hungry,” Jim muttered.

“I am too. You wanna eat?”

“I’m hungry, _but_ … I _don’t_ wanna eat before we make love,” he said with a grin.

“Then… leave the food in the kitchen, I guess?”

Jim set the bags down on the table. “Kind of a shame the ride home took so long. Not only is it cold, but my boner died!” he laughed.

“Mine, too. Are you sure you don’t wanna eat?”

Jim turned and approached him, pulling him into a hug. “Yes. Besides, two or three kisses and I’ll be in the mood again.”

Feeling Jim’s muscles against every inch of him was already reinvigorating his cock. Leo held on tight and dragged his lips over Jim’s neck.

“There we go,” he chuckled. Jim kissed and petted him until his rock-hard manhood poked Leo’s leg. “Let’s go to my room.”

Leo led Jim to his room as he kissed him, periodically looking over his shoulder to make sure his boyfriend wouldn’t walk backward into something. Getting caught up in stroking his burly body was a constant interruption, but in due time, Leo guided them there until he gently pushed Jim down to sit on the bed.

Leo froze at the sight of Jim looking up at him, cerulean eyes shining and looking in his as he smiled a scruffy, boyish grin. Jim pulled his shirt off, then Leo’s. He pulled Leo into his lap and sucked on his lower lip. Leo wrapped around Jim and a shudder ran through him as Jim’s hands stroked around his lower back before digging in his pants and caressing a finger between his butt cheeks.

“Oh god,” Leo murmured. He needed Jim _now._ Jim’s mouth was so lovely and _hungry_ that pulling away proved difficult, but one stroke down Jim’s hairy midriff gave him reason to pause.

Jim reared back and watched as Leo knelt between his legs and unbuttoned his dress pants, removing one barrier of access. His cock strained against tight boxer briefs, but Leo dove in to lick and kiss his belly fur, mouthing at anything other than Jim’s shaft until Jim bucked up in desperation. Finally, Leo pulled down his underwear, freeing Jim’s long, beautiful dick with a bit of a spring.

The tip glistened with precum and every plan to tease Jim went out with logical thought. Leo engulfed him and sucked, wetting his whole length with his tongue. The head tasted wonderful as Leo pulled away to kiss the tip and lick in the slit at the end. He moaned shamelessly and Jim’s cock jumped between his lips. Leo curled his fingers around the base, cradling Jim’s balls with his other hand.

All Leo wanted was a big load all over his tongue, and he sucked Jim’s thick dick from tip to hilt like a man desperate for it.

Jim’s breath came in big heaves and his hand never left Leo’s head, stroking down his neck or carding through his hair. “God, Leo, I wanna suck your dick so bad,” he let out with a chuckle. “Wait.”

Leo pulled off and licked Jim’s cock head. “Yeah?”

“Lay on top of me.”

Leo stood and Jim stroked Leo’s hips before pulling his pants off. Jim grinned and patted his lap, cock standing proud and wet, just waiting for Leo’s mouth as he lay back in wait.

Leo clambered on the bed and braced himself on all fours, limbs flanking Jim with his cock in Jim’s face and Jim’s shaft in his.

“Bit further back,” Jim said. Leo shifted and Jim patted his butt. “There, now… lower down and…”

Jim held Leo’s cock by the base and guided him as Leo slowly thrust down. He sighed when those perfect pink, wet lips met his dick, and shuddered when thrusting enveloped him in the wet heat of his lover’s mouth

“Oh god,” he murmured. The position gave him an interesting viewpoint: Jim’s big cock staring him in the face, his lovely, hairy balls around eye level. With his weight on his elbows he really couldn’t do much but wrap his fingers around Jim’s perfect manhood and lightly squeeze – though he _could_ cradle Jim’s sack.

Jim was _so distracting,_ though – he kept sucking and sucking, bobbing his head up and licking every inch of Leo’s cock. It felt almost infuriatingly good.

Leo opened his mouth and _devoured_ Jim’s cock, taking him from the head and pulling him deep until his lips met the hilt and Jim’s balls filled his nose with the intoxicating smell of his beautiful boyfriend. He moaned and laved his tongue anywhere he could, gently pulling Jim’s balls further back and sucking more cock down his throat.

Jim wrapped his arms around Leo’s back and pulled him further down until their bellies rested against each other and Leo felt furry six pack heaving against his chest. It gave him just the right angle to push all the way in Jim’s mouth. Jim rolled his balls in his fingers, and it was so much all at once that the lovely warmth of pleasure in his crotch rushed up and his cock throbbed hard between Jim’s lips, shooting a big load right down his throat.

Jim moaned and sucked harder, doing everything he could to draw as much of Leo’s cum out until the aftershocks brought no more and Leo let his weight fully rest on Jim.

His boyfriend swallowed him down, but gave no indication that he’d stop giving Leo’s cock intimate attention. So, Leo grabbed Jim’s balls and stroked and played with them as he drew Jim deep in his mouth. Jim held him tighter and moaned around his dick, suddenly pulsing in Leo’s mouth. A flood of warm cum emptied between his lips, all over his tongue and the back of his mouth. Leo gently stroked Jim’s balls and he whimpered as Leo drew his orgasm out with hard sucks.

The wonderful warmth around him withdrew for but a moment. “Oh god, _Leo,_ ” Jim whispered before taking him to the back of his throat again. Leo started a bit when Jim’s big hands cupped his butt and gently kneaded. He swallowed Jim’s big load down and sealed his lips around him as he sucked off to catch every drop. When he let off with a quiet pop, Jim’s softening cock landed in his treasure trail.

Overcome with a strangely timed surge of affection, Leo brought a hand up and gently ran a finger along the underside of Jim’s dick. His big balls – a bit emptier, now – also deserved some attention. Leo buried his face in Jim’s lap. He kissed Jim’s balls and drew them between his lips until he had both in his mouth, soft hair and salty skin brushing against his tongue.

Jim occupied himself with massaging Leo’s butt and nuzzling his crotch, licking and kissing anywhere he could. It felt wonderful – then it felt even better, as Jim lavished his dick with oral attention.

Leo let Jim’s balls go to lick along the underside of Jim’s manhood. He felt it harden under his tongue and watched in fascination as it slowly stiffened again, standing ramrod straight whenever Jim flexed his pelvic floor. “Ready for more so soon?” he drawled and chuckled.

Jim pulled off his cock; Leo could hear the smile in his voice. “For you? Of course.”

Leo turned around on all fours and sat on Jim’s lap, his hard dick lying on Jim’s belly. He cupped Jim’s jaw and brought him close to kiss him slow and tender, heart racing. “I want you to make love to me,” Leo said, letting southern twang drip from every word.

Jim’s jaw dropped. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Um… do you wanna go… clean up first?” Jim asked, cheeks turning a lovely red.

“I’m – I did already. Um, before… when I was getting ready for our date.” Not his smoothest moment. Not quite.

“You mean I can just…” Jim glanced down at Leo’s crotch – or at his ass? – and grinned. He surged up and kissed Leo like a dying man given a new lease on life and curled tight around him.

Were it not for Jim’s heavy frame he’d probably be on the floor then, but Jim picked him up as he made out with him – arms cradling him carefully – and laid Leo on his back. His lips didn’t leave him until flailing his hand uselessly toward the nightstand wasn’t good enough to find the drawer.

“I’m so excited,” Jim said lowly, failing to smoothly open the tube of lube with shaking fingers.

“Darlin,’ calm down! You’ll never get to it if you don’t cool your jets!” Leo couldn’t contain a few chuckles.

“Oh come on, you—” Jim lowered his voice to a conspiratorial murmur. “You know how good it feels, knowing I’m full of you.”

Leo sighed and smiled at his boyfriend fumbling with the lube, sitting buck naked on his bed. “Yeah, I do.”

“I have every right to be excited to make love to my hot boyfriend.” Jim pried the cap off and squeezed a generous amount between his fingers. Leo lifted his legs out of the way and Jim wasted no time preparing him. He plunged in with two fingers, making Leo start and let out a yelp. “Sorry!” he said, hastily drawing out and stroking his thigh. “I’m just… excited.”

“I know, jus’ be gentle.”

He began again – slower this time, really working a good amount of lube in and making Leo writhe until his body was open and ready for him.

“Jim,” Leo murmured. “Are you ready?”

Jim propped up Leo with a pillow under his low back. He shimmied up so his thighs pressed right up against Leo so he had a good view of Jim’s hard dick. That long, thick cock looked downright mouthwatering as Jim squirted more lube in his hand and slicked himself up, stroking and twisting until his manhood had a good sheen coating it.

Leo looked up and saw Jim grinning. “Ready?” he asked.

“C’mon, darlin’,” Leo murmured.

Jim lifted Leo’s legs out of the way and guided his cock by the hilt. “Just wanna… watch it push in,” he groaned as the head of his cock slipped inside. Jim thrust in so slowly Leo could hardly stand it. He watched Jim make the most amazing faces: biting his lip, closing his eyes and throwing his head back, letting out a breath. “Jesus Christ… that’ll never get old.”

Leo felt more and more full as Jim pushed in until he bottomed out, every rock-hard inch inside him. Jim shuddered visibly and murmured “Oh god, Leo.”

Leo held his arms up invitingly. “Hold me, Jim.”

Jim wrapped his beefy arms around Leo and locked their lips together. He sucked on Leo’s tongue as he pulled out and thrust back in with a grunt. A soft moan resonated in Leo’s throat with every push inside him.

With every push in him, Jim’s manhood pressed against his g spot then slipped past, every time sending a shock of pleasure up his spine and a tiny shudder of fingers gripping Jim’s back or his toes curling.

Leo turned his head away, breaking the kiss. “Jesus, Jim,” he huffed out.

“Good? Bad?”

Leo met Jim’s eyes and stroked a hand down his back. “Don’t stop.”

Jim laid his forehead against Leo’s, bright blue eyes so close Leo could see his contacts. It had been a bit chilly in Jim’s room, but with Jim holding him so close and tender a blanket was hardly necessary. Jim kept a steady pace of thrusting his hard cock in and out, the pleasure slowly ramping up into something palpable.

“I love you so much,” Jim drawled.

On a slow draw out, Jim paused and shifted so his hands curled around Leo’s shoulders, then thrust in so deep Leo saw stars and felt Jim’s balls hug his butt tight.

“ _Take me,_ Jim,” Leo whispered. “Take me with every inch you can.”

Jim stopped again and smiled with a chuckle. “Holy shit, Leo, that’s hot.”

“I – I’m gonna cum soon. Don’t wanna cum yet.”

Jim held on tight and buried his face in Leo’s shoulder before rolling them over so Leo was on top. Leo wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to being manhandled like that – though a part of him loved it.

After the brief vertigo dissipated, Leo looked down at Jim ghosting his palms along Leo’s thighs as he smiled wide. “There. Now you can go as fast as you want.”

The warm pleasure in his groin didn’t abate from lack of movement, though. Rather it grew by the moment. His cock visibly throbbed once, and his ass clenched on Jim’s cock, making it achingly apparent exactly what the head of his dick pressed into.

“Leo?”

His cock pulsed again, sending a breathtaking jolt of pleasure through his whole body. He gripped the sheets, his chest heaving as a bead of cum formed at the tip. Though Jim’s cock only stretched him open – he wasn’t even moving! – Leo was helpless to stop his impending orgasm.

Like a dam bursting forth, the lovely tension ramped up and his cock jumped as he came hard, shooting seven long lines of warm cum all over Jim’s belly. Jim watched, eyes wide in surprise. He grabbed Leo’s dick and slowly stroked, wringing out as much jizz and euphoria as he could until Leo could hardly see straight from bliss.

“Holy shit,” Jim murmured. He stared in fascination as he squeezed the last drops on his furry tummy. “That’s a big load.”

Leo chuckled and patted a clean spot on Jim’s pec. “You, uh… I – I don’t know what I wanted to say.”

Jim blushed and laughed, his eyes crinkling. “Your brain’s still off.” He looked down and admired the cum covering him. “I’m torn between eating this or letting it sink in.”

“Yeah?”

“I – um… like letting it sink in. Jesus, this is a lot.” The pearly ropes all over him were apparently too tempting; Jim held Leo’s hand and with the other scooped up big strings to suck off his fingers. “Mmm, god I wanna cum.”

Leo sighed and stroked Jim’s thumb. “Well, have at it.”

Jim grinned and the light of inspiration filled his eyes. “Can I try a different position?”

“What’d you have in mind?” Leo drawled.

“Let’s see if I can…” Jim sat up and held Leo in his arms as best he could, then rolled them to the side so Leo lay on his right side, Jim on his left.

Leo winced as something pulled in his leg. He let out a hiss. “Ow! That hurts!”

“Oh god.” Jim let go and helplessly patted wherever he could reach. “Where?”

“My leg. Lemme try and…” Leo hooked his free leg over Jim’s shoulder and stretched out the one trapped under him. “Hoo, that’s better.”

Jim pulled Leo closer with a hand gently holding him by the nape until their foreheads were together. “Good?”

“I’m good, darlin’.” Leo settled his hands on Jim’s obliques. They wouldn’t get quite as close this way but it felt just as intimate with Jim’s face so close.

Jim pulled their lips together and slowly kissed Leo as he resumed languidly pushing in him. The slick of his big manhood brought about a resurgence of pleasure in his oversensitive body.

Jim lasted all of a minute like that before the stutters and gasps of impending release hit. “Oh Leo,” he sighed.

Leo opened his eyes only to see Jim dive in for a kiss right as he buried his throbbing cock and emptied himself. Jim hugged him tight, shuddering with pleasure as Leo felt Jim’s warm load fill him up. It hurt his leg a bit being trapped between them, but Leo couldn’t bring himself to care.

Jim stilled, still kissing Leo and licking between his lips, small moans leaving him every few seconds. Leo freed his leg and let it lay on Jim’s side, the muscles finally relaxing.

It was a lovely moment – more than, actually. When Jim drew away from the kiss, he smiled and gazed into Leo’s eyes, gently stroking down his neck and shoulders. A vague pang of pain hit Leo in the chest, seeing someone like Jim look at him with such bare naked fondness.

“I love you,” Jim whispered, his eyes shining bright in the dim lamp light.

“I love you, too,” Leo murmured, cupping Jim’s jaw and thumbing his cheek.

Their foreheads fell together and Leo breathed in the light smell of sweat and sandalwood. Jim curled his arms around and pulled him closer, keeping him as warm and cozy as their strange position allowed.

Sharing breath and looking in Jim’s eyes in such an intimate space filled him with wonderful feelings of closeness and… _belonging._ A bit of belonging with Jim, but also a bit of belonging _to_ him. He wondered if Jim felt the same.

A loud gurgle interrupted the quiet afterglow.

“I’m hungry,” Jim chuckled.

“I am, too!” Leo exclaimed.

Jim kissed him with a smile and slowly pulled out with a soft grunt. Leo bore down and Jim slipped free. With the freedom to move how he pleased again, Leo rolled on his back and smiled up at Jim kneeling at his side and stroking his belly. Quite titillating was the knowledge that such a vision of masculine beauty made sweet love to him. Were he not so hungry, a third round might be on table.

“I’ll never get sick of filling you up,” Jim said with a deep blush. He grinned and patted Leo’s leg. “I’ll bring dinner in here.”

“It’s probably cold, by now.”

“Eh. I’ll just broil it in the oven for a few minutes.”

Jim got up and left the room, still stark naked and—

“Uh… Jim?” Leo called out. “You’re still covered in… oh nevermind.” Leo lay there in post-orgasmic bliss, thinking about how deep Jim shot in him and how much he loved the intimate bonding of the soft moment after.

Jim seemed to take a while with preparing food. Leo heard his heavy footsteps pass the door once or twice, but didn’t think much of it. Another ten or so minutes passed before he came back with two plates stacked with piping hot burgers and onion rings. He had his thick glasses on.

“You wanna eat on your bed?” Leo asked as Jim set the plates down.

“Yeah, whatever. I’ll just shake the blankets out after and vacuum tomorrow.”

Jim sat with his legs splayed out, the plates between them. He hid nothing from Leo as he ate his first onion ring with a crunch. His big dick looked tempting, even after cumming twice, but their dinner was even more so – if a bit crispy.

“Mmm, this _is_ good takeout.”

“You ever been there?” Leo picked up his burger and took a big bite.

Jim shook his head and ate another ring. “No. Too expensive. Too unhealthy.”

“It’s not _that_ unhealthy! Papa didn’ like goin’ too often, but every once in awhile he got a craving.”

Jim got crumbs all over his bed and grease on his hands. As good as it tasted, Leo disliked doing much of anything after eating a meal like this, much less clean Jim’s bed.

“This is kinda messy.” Leo picked up an onion ring and dipped it in cheese sauce. Before he could bite it, a big glop dripped on his thigh… and his cock. “Dammit, Jim! I knew we shouldn’t have eaten in here.”

Jim laughed, grinning wide. “Oh come on, that’s funny!”

Leo crossed his arms in defiance – careful not to get grease on himself. “It is not.”

“I’ll clean it up, hold on.”

“With what, did you bring napkins?” Leo inquired.

Jim’s eyes sparkled and he muscled his way into Leo’s personal space. With a ‘whoa,’ Leo fell back and with wide eyes watched Jim brace his weight on either side of his lap and lick up the cheese sauce off his thigh. He looked up – his glasses adorably skewed – and chuckled before laving his tongue all over Leo’s cock and sucking him deep, thoroughly cleaning him off.

“Jesus, Jim,” Leo said with a groan, as his manhood swelled between Jim’s plush lips. Jim let off with a slurp and kissed the tip right as Leo fully hardened and the urge to cum again hit. “You goddamn tease!”

Jim cackled and reared back away from Leo’s playful slap. “Eat your dinner,” he said between loud laughs, his cheeks bright red.

“You eat _your_ dinner, ‘stead of tauntin’ me with your sinful mouth,” Leo said.

Jim smiled as he chewed on a bite of burger. He had a big drop of ketchup dripping from the corner of his mouth. “My sinful mouth?”

“You are a _tempter,_ Jim Kirk.”

When a few moments passed with the ketchup slowly dribbling lower in his beard – Jim apparently not noticing – Leo scooted closer and thumbed it off. Jim looked up from his food in slight surprise, and Leo pushed his finger between Jim’s lips. That devious tongue of Jim’s licked his thumb clean.

Leo glanced down to see Jim’s half-hard dick laying on the sheets. Maybe another time.

It was such a nice evening – playful and intimate – that ending it with sleep seemed almost a shame. The night was still young!

When they finished their meal and made a mess of the blankets, Jim gathered the plates and Leo tossed the quilt in the laundry hamper before briefly washing up in the bathroom.

Jim – and his soft mattress – looked so inviting where he lay when Leo returned. He looked up at the ceiling with his hands folded behind his head, his thick arms bulging and underarm hair handsome. Leo knocked, and Jim beckoned him forth with a grin and open arms.

Leo wordlessly shut the door behind him and flicked the light switch. All he wanted was to lay down on Jim – which he did – and hug him tight – which he also did. Jim nuzzled him and stroked his back before asking quietly, “Can I stay inside you all night?”

Leo froze and drew away to look Jim in the eye. An aching fondness and slight anxiety filled his beautiful eyes – this wasn’t something he wanted out of hedonism. This was born of a deep desire for intimacy – to bond on a primal level Leo had no idea how to explain.

“I – well, I—”

“It’s okay if you say no. I just thought—” His eyes looked away out of embarrassment. “I don’t know what—”

“Okay,” Leo croaked.

Jim stared in awe, then tilted Leo’s head to guide him in a soft and tender kiss. He lapped at Leo’s tongue and sealed their lips together with a small moan and curled tight around him, holding their bodies together with barely space for a finger between them.

Time slowed until Jim pulled away and murmured “Turn over?”

Leo lay on his side and reached to turn off the lights, but Jim held him still with his arms curled around his chest. He linked their fingers together and held their joined hands over Leo’s heart.

“Ready?”

Leo hummed, and in one fluid motion, Jim slowly pressed his hard cock between Leo’s butt cheeks.

He was still sufficiently lubed that Jim slid in without any burn, only the euphoric feeling of a hairy man plastered against his back, and the pleasant stretch of his big dick filling him. Jim pushed until Leo felt his balls against him, then he stilled with a sigh and a kiss to his shoulder.

“I love you so much,” Jim whispered, combing his fingers through Leo’s belly fur. He shifted them both around until he held Leo close in a warm hug under the blanket.

Leo had read online in one of his more curious moments that what Jim did was a wonderful way to bond. It was a bit like staking a claim, so to speak. For both of them. Maybe.

He always was a hopeless romantic, hoping Jim wanted to cement their hearts together. But laying in the dark, Jim buried in him and bundled up with him as he fell asleep, he thought that a summer full of moments like this would be absolutely perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wait is finally over! The final chapter is here, but Leo and Jim's story isn't over.
> 
> Thank you everyone for your kudos and kind comments! Let me know what you think!


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